Mother's Day

Miami Cheesecake Factory Workers Fired After Customer in MAGA Hat Claims He Was Harassed

Eugenior Joseph said he was at the Dadeland Mall eatery on Mother's Day with his girlfriend and her family when he was approached by employees who confronted him for wearing the red cap

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  • Eugenior Joseph said he was at the Dadeland Mall eatery on Mother's Day when he was approached by employees who confronted him

Two workers at a Miami Cheesecake Factory have lost their jobs after a man said he was harassed for wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat in the restaurant.

Eugenior Joseph said he was at the Dadeland Mall eatery on Mother's Day with his girlfriend and her family when he was approached by employees who confronted him for wearing the red cap, which is popular with supporters of President Donald Trump.

"We were very disappointed to learn that two staff members made disparaging remarks about Mr. Joseph’s hat that made him and his family feel unwelcome," the Cheesecake Factory said in a statement Wednesday. "As a result, as of Tuesday those two individuals are no longer employed with the company."

Joseph told the Miami Herald that about a dozen employees surrounded his table and made him so uncomfortable that they left the restaurant.

"I'm 100 percent sure it's because I'm black and I'm wearing a Make America Great Again hat," Joseph told the paper.

The restaurant's statement said there was an all-staff meeting that was taking place around the time of the incident that "may have been perceived as a crowd gathering near the guests’ tables."

Cheesecake Factory said they'd like to have Joseph back to one of their restaurants.

"No guest should ever feel unwelcome in one of our restaurants and we are very sorry. Our investigation is ongoing and we have reached out to Mr. Joseph directly to ask for his assistance," the restaurant said. "We are taking this situation seriously."

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