It happened in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
Dayna Morales is used to serving.
She served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
She's been serving tables on and off for the last 10 years.
Good service is her hallmark; she's always punctual, professional, and precise.
But Wednesday night at the Gallop Asian Bistro in Bridgewater, New Jersey where Dayna works, one family skipped the tip and they left behind a legible explanation.
"I was rather offended, mad. I didn't know how to react to that. I never thought that would ever happen," said Dayna Morales, a server.
Dayna says she knew it was going to be a problem the moment she introduced herself.
"Normal introduction. 'My name is Dayna. I'll be taking care of you.' Right away the mom looked at me and said, 'I thought you were going to say your name was Dan,'" Morales said.
Still she served the family of four with no problem.
But when it came time to pay the $93 bill, the family told Dayna they weren't leaving her a tip.
They said it not to her face, but on a piece of paper.
"It says, 'I'm sorry but I cannot tip because I do not agree with your lifestyle and how you live your life,'" Morales said.
Dayna kept the note that was written on the receipt and shared it with friends on Facebook and a few blogs provoking supportive responses.
Dayna is openly gay but she never shared that with the family.
Dayna says her sexual preference has no connection to how she serves a table.
She says she did her job and deserved a tip.
She can defend democracy overseas as a Marine but can't get a tip in New Jersey in this instance because she's gay.
"It wasn't he said, she said. They actually wrote it, proof they said it," Morales said.
Of course Eyewitness News wanted to know who the family is but that's something the restaurant couldn't share because it's private.
Meanwhile, Dayna says if she were to see the family again, she wouldn't say a word because she doesn't respond to ignorance.
This story was reported by WABC-TV, KTRK's sister station in New York City.
