Former Odessa Saltgrass Steak House waiter Khalil Cavil made Texas Monthly’s annual Bum Steer Awards list, a roundup of “Texas’s most ridiculous and idiotic endeavors.”
The Bum Steer Awards are Texas Monthly’s annual summary of the most popular news blurbs “featuring political personalities, flashy figures, and plenty of nameless ne’er-do-wells.” The Bum Steer of the Year Award went to radio host Alex Jones this year.
Cavil made headlines nationwide in July after posting a photo on Facebook of a receipt that showed zero tip on a $108.73 bill with the message “we don’t tip terrorist” written on it. The post blew up on social media, getting the customer banned from the restaurant.
The only problem was that Cavil made the note up.
“I did write it,” Cavil said at the time, refusing to explain why. “I don’t have an explanation. There is no excuse for what I did.”
Saltgrass COO Terry Turney said in a statement at the time that the customer had been contacted and invited back to their restaurant to dine free of charge.
Cavil said at the time he hoped the post would spur conversation ‘about this hatred that is still going on, that is still here and prevalent. I just want people to understand that.’
Many had offered money to Cavil, who was working to attend college in Dallas. Cavil said donations totaled about $1,000.
“All money is being processed and being return(ed)” Cavil previously said. “Most all of it has been returned.”
Cavil is no longer employed at Saltgrass, officials said at the time.
“I’m sorry. I deeply made a huge, big mistake. And I’m in the process of getting the help that I need,” Cavil previously said.
The whole list of the publication’s annual Bum Steer Awards can be found HERE.
