A recent complaint at Disneyland has raised concerns about the treatment of guests at one of the park's dining locations, Flo’s Café. A family, visiting Disneyland for the first time, reported feeling disrespected and mistreated by employees during their lunch experience. The guest has filed a formal complaint after they believe their son was subjected to racial bias by a server, sparking outrage on social media and among fellow park-goers.
The incident began when the guest and their two children, including a biracial 7-year-old son, were dining at Flo's Café. According to the complaint, when the young boy attempted to pay with a dining credits gift card, the server allegedly “snatched” the card from him and swiped it repeatedly in front of the child. The guest said the server’s attitude was dismissive, and she looked at the family as if to suggest, “Your card won’t work. You don’t belong here.”
An Upsetting Payment Experience
After multiple failed attempts to process the card, the guest noticed that the server was swiping it upside down. Politely pointing out the mistake, the guest said, “It looks like the card is upside down. It should work once you turn it over.” The server reportedly glared at the guest, refused to acknowledge the error, and insisted the card was “bad.” Only after further insistence did the server turn the card over, which resulted in the payment going through. However, the incident did not end there.
The guest explained that after the transaction, the server “tossed the card back to my son—he missed it, and it fell to the floor. No apology.” As the family continued with their meal, the guest’s son’s name was taken for the order. When the food was ready, the employee at the pickup counter asked for the name again. After checking the receipt, the server remarked, “That’s weird.” The guest was then shocked to find that the receipt did not feature their son's name but instead read “nig31.”
A Disturbing Name Incident and Racial Concerns
The guest, understandably upset, stated that their son’s biracial identity made them feel that the name discrepancy was not an innocent mistake but possibly “intended—and possibly out of racism.” While no explanation was provided, the guest emphasized that the server did not apologize, nor did anyone attempt to correct the issue.
The situation escalated when the young boy politely asked to have the carrots removed from his meal since he didn’t like them. According to the complaint, both workers at the pickup counter were “rude” in response to his request. The guest repeated the polite request, but the workers snapped back at them. Later, the guest’s oldest son overheard the employees discussing how they enjoyed being rude to the family, calling them “nasty and rude” while happy to have been disrespectful. The conversation took place in front of another paying customer, who turned out to be the guest’s son.
Filing a Formal Complaint
In response to the situation, the guest immediately filed a formal complaint at Disneyland’s City Hall. The receipt was submitted as evidence of the alleged incident, and the guest was told they would be contacted “ASAP.” However, as of the time of the report, the guest has not received any follow-up communication from Disneyland.
The guest’s post on social media and the subsequent complaint reflect growing concerns about treatment in theme park settings, particularly regarding racial bias and the need for greater accountability. “Even if the ‘nig31’ wasn’t intended as a racial slur, the attitude and disrespect were uncalled for,” the guest noted. The full report reads:
“My kids and I went to Disneyland (it was their first time), and one day we had lunch at Flo’s Café. The server was so rude when my 7-year-old son tried to pay with his dining credits gift card. She snatched the card from him and started swiping it at the machine right in front of him—over and over again. Then she looked at us as if to say, “Your card won’t work. You don’t belong here.”
She swiped it about seven times before I realized she was swiping it upside down. I politely said, “It looks like the card is upside down. It should work once you turn it over.” She glared at me, insisted she was doing it correctly, and said it must be a “bad card” while continuing to swipe it. At that point I got irritated and said, “Since when does the strip face up when swiping? Typically it’s down so the machine can read it.”
She finally turned it over, and of course it worked immediately. She tossed the card back to my son—he missed it, and it fell to the floor. No apology. Then she asked for a name for the order, and I gave her my son’s name.
When our food was ready, the woman at the pickup window asked for his name. I repeated it, but when she looked at her receipt, she said, “That’s weird.” She compared it with our copy, and although the order matched, the name on the ticket did not say my son’s name. Instead, the cashier had written “nig31.” My son is biracial, so I can’t help but feel the cashier did this intentionally—and possibly out of racism.
At the pickup window, the workers were also rude when my son politely asked if they could just keep the carrots since he doesn’t like them. He wasn’t asking for a substitution, just to leave them off. I repeated his request, but they snapped at me. At that point I got irritated, grabbed the tray, and walked away.
Meanwhile, my oldest son was still waiting for his food. When he joined us at the table, he told me that while he was waiting, the two women at the pickup counter were openly talking about how “nasty and rude” I was, and how happy they were to be rude to my son and me. They said all this in front of another paying customer—without realizing that customer was my son.
I saved the receipt and went straight to City Hall to file a complaint. I was told someone would reach out to me ASAP since this behavior is completely unacceptable. Even if the “nig31” wasn’t intended as a racial slur, the attitude and disrespect were uncalled for.
I still haven’t heard back. Has anyone else filed a complaint and not received a response? How long did it take before you heard back?”
Long post about potentially racist worker- Flo’s cafe
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Disney Responds to the Allegations
As of now, Disney has yet to comment on the specifics of this incident or address the guest's concerns publicly. The lack of response has left the guest questioning how long it should take for Disneyland to address serious complaints like this, especially those that may involve racial bias.
For the time being, the guest remains hopeful that Disneyland will take swift action to ensure that all visitors are treated respectfully, regardless of their background. The complaint has also sparked a broader conversation among Disney fans about inclusivity and respectful behavior in the park environment. Disney’s response to this situation will likely play a significant role in how the company is perceived by future visitors who are concerned about fair treatment and accountability.
