‘I HOPE TRUMP DEPORTS YOU!’: Customer wrote that on a receipt instead of tipping at a Mexican restaurant. Staff posted it and loses her job within days

A former Ohio realtor found herself at the center of backlash after a restaurant receipt with a message invoking President Donald Trump spread across social media. The woman was later identified as Stephanie Lovins, a 49-year-old former realtor from Blacklick.

Century 21, which Lovins had previously been affiliated with, responded after the receipt went viral. The company said, “We are aware of the situation with the agent in question. Hate has no place within the Century 21 brand, and we are taking this very seriously.” The company later confirmed that Lovins was no longer affiliated with Century 21, saying her connection to the brand had ended earlier that year.

Her profile has since been removed from Century 21’s website. VT reports that Lovins is believed to have lost her job following the incident. However, Century 21’s statement that her affiliation ended earlier in the year leaves it unclear whether her departure was connected to the receipt.

Stephanie Lovins denied leaving the message 

Her social media accounts have reportedly been taken down. The outlet said efforts to contact Lovins and her husband were unsuccessful. Posts circulated online and attributed to Lovins claimed she did not write the message. In those posts, she allegedly claimed her card had been lost or stolen and used fraudulently. Restaurant staff disputed that account, saying witnesses recognized Lovins as the person who left the note.

The dispute began at Cazuela’s Mexican Cantina in Columbus, Ohio, where WABI reported that the receipt was left on a Sunday. The customer’s bill came to $87.84, but the tip line didn’t contain a gratuity. Instead, the customer wrote “ZERO, YOU SUCK” on the tip line and “I HOPE TRUMP DEPORTS YOU!!!” on the signature line. 

Staff shared a photo of the receipt, and it went viral. Ricardo isn’t the only server whose lack of a tip has drawn attention online. An Idaho server recently said a 40-person table left no tip after racking up a bill of more than $700. 

Cazuela’s condemned the message in a statement: “We are deeply disappointed by the offensive message left on a recent receipt, which goes against our values and the welcoming environment we strive to create. There is no place for hate in our restaurant.”

Tips matter in restaurant work. In many US states, employers can pay servers a lower base wage, and tips cover the gap. A zero on the tip line can therefore cut straight into a server’s pay.

The receipt drew criticism online after the photo began circulating. The response wasn’t limited to social media. WABI reported that people began showing up at Cazuela’s to support the restaurant. One customer said, “I think it’s despicable, you know. That’s not who America is. You know, we’re all immigrants.”

VT identified the server at the center of the incident as Ricardo. Fabio Oribo, the restaurant’s head of marketing, said, “He only works one day a week, which is Sunday. He has two jobs.” Oribo added, “It’s just not right, just not right. He’s a really good person.”

The attention eventually turned into financial support for Ricardo. A GoFundMe launched with a $1,000 goal has since raised more than $39,000. Organizer Anna Overman said the fundraiser was meant to support Ricardo and “drown out hate with love.”

The backlash also reached at least one unrelated business. VT reports that a company with a name similar to Lovins’ husband’s business was mistakenly targeted online, prompting its owner to publicly clarify that the company had no connection to the incident.