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Drybar apologizes after employee wrote racist comment on customer's receipt

"We sincerely apologize for the hurt his has caused," Drybar founder Alli Webb shared.
Drybar controversy
This Drybar customer didn't expect to see a racist term at her blowout appointment.Courtesy Bree Tae
/ Source: TODAY

Like many women, Briana Tae loves to look her best before a special event. So when the nursing student was preparing to attend her school's pinning ceremony earlier this week, she scheduled a hair appointment at her local Drybar.

Tae expected to walk out with a fabulous blowout, but left the salon feeling frustrated after one of the salon's employees wrote an offensive comment on her receipt.

"I look over and see this. 'Client: Briana, Description: Chinky eyes.” ??? I’m sorry, what? I was the ONLY customer waiting with my friend and rather than describe me by my hair that was in a bun or by my black jacket or as a girl with a friend, I was described as a girl with chinky eyes. I have never in my life been so appalled. I’m sure I would not have been described as such if I was not Asian," Tae wrote on Facebook.

Tae, who attends New York University's nursing school, was disappointed to see the inappropriate comment, and walked over to ask the receptionist about it.

"She could not understand why it was an issue and why it was highly inappropriate to write such a description. She tried to make me feel somewhat better by saying she had chinky eyes too," Tae wrote.

After hearing about the incident, Drybar co-founder Alli Webb posted an apology on her personal Instagram, announcing that the employee in question has since been terminated.

Just this morning, Webb also gave Tae a personal call to apologize, and revealed that her team is working hard to implement changes going forward so that this will never happen again. Tae told TODAY Style she's grateful for all the support — including Drybar's — she's received over the last few days.

“I want to thank everyone for their immense support and willingness to help me share my story. Drybar has since taken action and responded. All I wanted to do was to make sure that this never happens to anyone else again," she said.

In a statement to TODAY Style, Drybar said they're on the same page as Tae, and want to ensure that a situation like this never happens again.

"We have zero tolerance for racism and negative behavior towards our team members and customers at Drybar, and we’re making sure that all of our staff clearly understand our values and reinforce them every day so that this never happens again. At Drybar it is our mission to make all of our customers feel great about themselves. We celebrate and believe in promoting diversity among our customers and Team Members and we will continue to do so," Drybar officials wrote.

In the end, Tae is turning a negative experience into a positive one, and said this experience has made her that much more passionate about being a caretaker.

“These past few days are another reason why I will stay in medicine," she said.