Texas Roadhouse in Colorado fires server over alleged racist tweet

GREELEY, CO -- A waitress, who was apparently upset that a customer didn't leave a tip, has been fired after she allegedly took to social media to vent her frustration earlier this month.

Megan Olson, who goes by the handle "megatron" on Twitter, is accused of tweeting, "If we had a real life purge I would kill as many Mexicans as I could in one night."

Several residents posted copies of the tweet on Texas Roadhouse - Greeley's Facebook page.

One message read: "A violent and racist employee is very bad for business. Please send her packin'."

That's exactly what management did.

"Our managing partner was actually mowing his lawn when he was alerted," said company spokesman Travis Doster. "He immediately rushed to the restaurant, met with the employee who posted this disgusting tweet and she was terminated."

KMGH reports that Doster said by phone that "this type of offensive, discriminatory language has absolutely no place at Texas Roadhouse."

Several residents applauded the restaurant for taking swift action.

"I think Texas Roadhouse did the responsible thing in letting her go," said Cristobal Garcia.

"A friend showed me the tweet," he said. "I tried to take a step back and asked, 'does Texas Roadhouse know that this is happening?'"

"I was offended by it," said Olson's neighbor, Willie Grantham. "As somebody who's worked in the restaurant industry most of my adult life, I understand getting angry about customers that don't tip. But you can't back it down to race."

Grantham said Texas Roadhouse did the right thing.

"If you're going to go on social media that brightly and say what she said, you need to be removed from that position."

Olson did not respond to a message seeking comment, but she did apologize via Facebook.

"I wrote hurtful, inconsiderate, insensitive and careless words and I understand the amount of people I have offended by that. There are no excuses for what I have done. I sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, apologize to everyone for my momentary lack of judgment. I want you all to know that I do not actually feel this way."

Olson acknowledged that she'd been fired and said, "I can promise you that nothing like that will EVER happen again."