Waitress in Anti-Gay Tip Scandal Now Out of a Job

The waitress who claimed last month she was left an anti-gay message instead of a tip—an accusation later refuted by the customer—is no longer employed at the Bridgewater bistro, according to a message posted Saturday on the restaurant's Facebook page.

The ex-Marine, who former friends have called a "compulsive liar," has also started to refund some of the donations she originally claimed would benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.

Gallop Asian Bistro said its internal investigation was "inconclusive" whether Dayna Morales actually received a tip, but said the Route 202 eatery and the waitress "made a joint decision that Ms. Morales will no longer continue her employment at our restaurant."

"The Gallop Asian Bistro has taken seriously the allegations made by Ms. Dayna Morales, and those made against her," the Facebook post reads. "Despite news reports to the contrary, this is not a simple, straight-forward matter and we have conducted our own internal investigation. The results of that investigation are inconclusive as to exactly what happened between Ms. Morales and the customers that night."

Morales, 22, made national headlines after she posted a copy of a credit card charge receipt on Nov. 13 to the "Have a Gay Day" Facebook page. The receipt for the Route 202 restaurant showed she received no tip, but a handwritten message: "Sorry but I cannot tip because I don't agree with your lifestyle and how you live your life."

An outpouring of support—and donations—immediately came pouring in and Morales vowed to donate most of them to the Wounded Warrior Project.

However, a Bridgewater couple anonymously came forward to NBC New York and claimed the receipt was theirs, but said they left an $18 tip and did not write the anti-gay message. The couple provided a copy of their receipt showing the $18 tip and their bank statement revealing the total restaurant bill with tip.

This sparked many to question the validity of Morales' story. Former friends in New York claimed Morales routinely fabricated stories, including details on her experience as a Marine and Sandy damage to her home.

A representative from the Wounded Warrior Project also told Patch last week there was no record of Morales making a donation to the organization.

Morales, a Bedminster resident who stood by her story when the customers initially came forward but has not been able to be reached for comment since then, has refunded some of the thousands of dollars she received from supporters, according to NBC New York.

"Overall, this has been an unfortunate incident for Gallop Asian Bistro, our employees, and our customers," the restaurant's Facebook post continued. "We are dedicated to providing excellent Asian cuisine and superior service. We have the utmost faith in our management and staff and we welcome the opportunity to serve our customers."

The restaurant's statement has ignited angered responses from many commenters on its Facebook page. Some have asked the bistro to reveal the findings of the investigation, specifically the total amount charged to the customers the night of the incident.

"Inconclusive? I guess it's possible that elements are inconclusive—but what about the basics?" one commenter asked. "Did the customers have the tip charged to their card, or not?"