Fergburger customer shocked at racial slur on receipt

A Queenstown tourist was left in shock when a receipt from famous burger joint Fergburger contained a racial slur.

A Taiwanese tourist visited Fergburger on Sunday and was shocked when she saw the server had written ‘ching chang’ on the receipt.

Fergburger has since contacted the tourist, who has been offered a formal apology and has been invited to discuss the issue further with Fergburger’s general manager.

The tourist, who did not want to be named, shared the receipt on social media and contacted local tour guide Roxie Fu, co-owner of Mini Tours.

Ms Fu told the Otago Daily Times "the staff in Fergburger did not ask for the girl’s name, relying on calling out the number on the receipt to let her know the order was ready.

‘‘The tourist was shocked and disheartened when she saw what had been used for her name.’’

Originally from Hong Kong, Ms Fu said: ‘‘It is a shock to see this behaviour from such a famous company, I would say one that represents Queenstown globally.

‘‘The comment was unnecessary and I am shocked it has happened in New Zealand - especially in Queenstown, being such a tourist friendly place.’’

Claire Burke, group general manager for Ferg Foods, said in a statement: "Fergburger acknowledges and deeply regrets a recent incident involving inappropriate and insensitive labelling on a customer order.

"We extend our sincere apologies to the customer affected and to anyone else who may have been hurt or offended.

‘‘We take this matter extremely seriously and are committed to ensuring that no customer experiences such behaviour again - we are grateful for the feedback that allows us to address issues promptly and improve our practices.’’

Ms Burke said ‘‘the behaviour displayed in this incident is completely unacceptable and does not reflect the values we uphold.

‘‘After learning about the incident, an internal investigation has been launched to further understand it and ensure accountability."

To prevent similar incidents in the future, the company would be implementing additional cultural sensitivity and inclusivity training for all team members.

The popular fast food restaurant in central Queenstown often has wait times hours long, and has had many famous visitors including Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber and Sir Peter Jackson.