Bridgewater Restaurant Server Gets Support, Tips

Bridgewater restaurant server Dayna Morales is getting support and tips from all over after a customer left comment about her gay lifestyle on the tip line of their bill.

Server Dayne Morales (ABC 7)

"People have sent me tips from all over the world just to show support. I have had people from Germany to South Africa, Australia to the UK, San Diego, everywhere," Morales told CNN. '

Morales was at work on Friday as the restaurant was inundated with calls of support and news vans in the parking lot according to the Bridgewater Patch. "It's very overwhelming," she told the Bridgewater Patch. "I'm just speechless."

Over $2,000 has been donated to a PayPal account sent to fund a tip for the former member of the United States Marine Corps that she plans to give to the Wounded Warrior Project. "It wasn't for the money. I never planned on this. I just wanted to vent," she said. "The purpose was to inform people it wasn't OK."

In addition, the restaurant will match her donation and send it to the LGBT foundation of Morales' choice reports News 12 New Jersey.

A family she served on Wednesday at the Gallop Asian Bistro in Bridgewater left a message critical of her being gay on the receipt instead of a tip on their $93 bill. "I'm sorry but I cannot tip because I do not agree with what your lifestyle and how you live your life," read the note.

Unexpected Response

The Dennis & Judi Lunch Tour stopped at the Gallop Asian Bistro (Chris Swendeman, Townsquare Media NJ)

Morales posted the receipt on the "Have a Gay Day" Facebook page."I was offended. I was mad at first, and then I was more so hurt" and had no idea it would go viral.

The restaurant is in full support of Morales actions. "Dayna is one of our absolute best servers working here at Gallop. We as a team were deeply hurt by the events that transpired. I myself as the General Manager took it personal as my team treats each other like a family. I made sure that Dayna was compensated for the tip, as for emotionally I wish there was much more I could do," wrote Bryon Lapola on their Facebook page.

While protecting the privacy of the customers, Lapola wrote that the customer is not welcome back. " I can assure you that if they decide to dine here again that they will be turned away."

Morales, a Bedminster resident, has worked at the Gallop since its opening in July. "We're all just very close," manager Gina Abello tells the Bridgewater Patch. "We go through everything together. All we've done since it happened is rally together."