After dining solo and enjoying his breakfast, Hinojosa headed to the counter and asked to be charged a penny so that he could tip the staff, a common practice for collaborations between influencers and restaurants. Once he'd signed the check and was headed out the door, however, laughter stopped him in his tracks.
"I saw someone, either the manager or owner, point at my receipt, laugh and show it to other staff," says Hinojosa in a social media post. "The bartender (who was also my server) laughed too."
Hinojosa took a closer look at the check and saw that he'd been charged for an item called "La Migra!!!" When Hinojosa asked the bartender if that was because of his Mexican roots, she claimed it was "just a button on the POS [system]."
The bartender turned to other staff members and said, "He can see it in his tab!" According to Hinojosa, she then apologized and explained that she didn't know what the Spanish term meant.
La Migra, or migra, translates to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement staff, Border Patrol and other institutions that target immigrants within the U.S. The term has existed for decades, but its use has increased significantly since the Trump administration's mass-deportation plan has impacted Latinos in communities across the country, including Aurora and Denver.
Born in the U.S. and raised by Mexican parents, Hinojosa knows far too well the ways that the Latino community has been targeted in this country. So he reported the incident on social media a few hours later.
"I've never had something this blatant happen to me before," says Hinojosa in a post. "I sat in my car for half an hour afterward. Just...stunned."
Hinojosa has over 8,500 followers on Instagram and TikTok, and many fans, fellow food influencers and former food industry workers across the country offered their support.
The following day, Morning Story Restaurants posted a letter addressed to its clientele about the incident. In the letter, the company apologized to Hinojosa, said it was launching an internal investigation at the DTC location, and noted that it was conducting an "emergency team meeting" with general managers and taking appropriate actions to ensure such a thing would not happen again.
That same day, Hinojosa updated followers, saying that the restaurant had apologized to him publicly and privately, and adding that he's only sharing his experience because of the "overwhelming" situation. He did not respond to Westword's request for an interview.
On Monday morning, Morning Story released another statement with an update on the investigation: The employee who served Hinojosa had been fired. According to the statement, the button had been added to the system by a previous manager; the company is now actively seeking an organization that specializes in sensitivity training to work with its locations.
"We don't know why for certain, but we believe [the button] was intended to help staff feel informed and safe," Morning Story said. "Unfortunately, this button was added without leadership's knowledge and without any training or guidance on its use."
Kevin Konz, director of operations for Morning Story Restaurants, has worked in the restaurant industry for over twenty years. When he joined the company in April 2021, Konz helped the "small but mighty" restaurant group expand across the state and into Iowa. He also arranged for influencer partnerships, "one of the best decisions" the organization has made, he says.
On Saturday, the restaurant's general manager immediately notified Konz about the incident, and he says he was "mortified" by Hinojosa's experience. "Why would anybody get a receipt with those words on it?," he adds. "We have an obligation to the people within our four walls to try and make sure that we're taking care of them."
Konz says the situation has been "overwhelming" for everyone involved, and that the company is hearing from "new people" about needed changes at Morning Story locations.
"We understand people are hurt, sad and angry, we've lost trust," says Konz. "We're using this as our chance to become better, and hopefully move forward with a little bit of grace from our community."
"We don't know why for certain, but we believe [the button] was intended to help staff feel informed and safe," Morning Story said. "Unfortunately, this button was added without leadership's knowledge and without any training or guidance on its use."
Kevin Konz, director of operations for Morning Story Restaurants, has worked in the restaurant industry for over twenty years. When he joined the company in April 2021, Konz helped the "small but mighty" restaurant group expand across the state and into Iowa. He also arranged for influencer partnerships, "one of the best decisions" the organization has made, he says.
On Saturday, the restaurant's general manager immediately notified Konz about the incident, and he says he was "mortified" by Hinojosa's experience. "Why would anybody get a receipt with those words on it?," he adds. "We have an obligation to the people within our four walls to try and make sure that we're taking care of them."
Konz says the situation has been "overwhelming" for everyone involved, and that the company is hearing from "new people" about needed changes at Morning Story locations.
"We understand people are hurt, sad and angry, we've lost trust," says Konz. "We're using this as our chance to become better, and hopefully move forward with a little bit of grace from our community."
