A black waitress from a Virginia restaurant received a racist note instead of a tip at the weekend.

Kelly Carter said a couple had written on the receipt: “Great service don’t tip black people.”

People are rallying to support the waitress and have been dropping by the restaurant to give her cash. A YouCaring campaign has raised over $300 for her.

Kelly Carter’s regular customers have been dropping by to give her hugs.

Image source Twitter

Tipping is customary in the US, where restaurant servers often earn less than the minimum wage, with tips supposed to make up the difference in pay.

The white couple who left the note appeared to be in their mid-20s, and left after spending $30.52 on food.

Kelly Carter told local media that one of the diners had even complimented the breakfast she served them on January 7.

She says that she would gladly serve the pair again, adding “one hateful remark cannot stop me” and that she would recognize them if they returned to Anita’s New Mexico Style Cafe.

Kelly Carter says she really does hope to see the couple again: “Just me serving them will let them know they did not get the best of me. And I truly mean that.”