Waiter Refuses to Serve Customer Who Insulted Boy with Down Syndrome

Michael Garcia is a waiter, but he may want to add “hero” to his resume.

Garcia, a server at Laurenzo’s Restaurant in Houston, attempted to disprove the notion that the customer is always right when he refused to wait on a customer who made a negative comment about a child with Down syndrome.

Garcia often waits on five-year-old Milo Castillo and his family. Milo has Down syndrome.

Another man recently came into the eatery with his family, but after they sat near Milo, the man moved to a different spot and Garcia said, “I heard the man say, ‘Special needs children need to be special somewhere else.”

That day’s special proved to be a cold dose of reality for the man.

Garcia approached the man and his family and:

My personal feelings took over and I told him, 'I'm not going to be able to serve you, sir.' He said, 'If you're not going to be able to serve us, then we'll leave.' Then I told him, 'How could you say that? How could you say that about a beautiful five-year-old angel?'"

The man and his family made good on their threat and walked out. Meanwhile, Milo’s parents had no idea what happened until one of Garcia’s co-workers filled them in.

Milo’s mother was touched by how Garcia defended them, noting, "I was really impressed that Michael would stand up for Milo. He really doesn't know us...he stood up for Milo just because it was the right thing to do."

The restaurant also backed Garcia, proving that, particularly in this case, the customer is not always right.