Kenny Chou owns Table to Stix Ramen, a ramen restaurant in Evanston, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is open 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Fridays and Sundays and closed Tuesdays.
When Chou was 5 years old, he moved from South Korea to the U.S. with his family. He grew up in Lincolnwood, Cook County. Formerly called Tessville, the village is around 6 miles away from Evanston.
In 2014, Chou and his wife opened Table to Stix Ramen. On April 19, 2025, a black male customer at the restaurant paid for a $19.89 tab with a $20 bill.
To the customer’s surprise, he was followed by Chou out of the restaurant and down the street. The customer used his cellphone to film the Korean-American restaurateur who was complaining about his refusal to tip.
“I paid for my food,” the customer told Chou. “I handed you $20. You cannot charge more than what you paid so what are you talking about?”
Even after the customer pointed out that he was not legally required to give a tip, Chou did not stop berating the customer. The restaurateur even asked, “How are my staff supposed to make money?”
A video of the confrontation went viral on social media. Chou had to take down the phone line and social media accounts of Table to Stix Ramen and on April 26, 2025, he attended a protest held outside of his ramen restaurant.
“It was a deeply regrettable moment where I, Kenny Chou, lost my composure,” Chou stated. “I stepped far beyond the bounds of respect and decency.”
The customer did not attend the protest. He has yet to respond to the apology.
Meanwhile, the customer’s younger brother went to the ramen restaurant and talked to Chou. The owner sent the brother a handwritten apology and the customer’s favorite order.
In an interview with CBS News, Chou said he felt ashamed “bringing shame” to his wife as a husband, as an owner and at the same time to his parents. The restaurateur told the publication he was worried the controversy could hurt other businesses around his ramen restaurant.
After the confrontation with Chou, the customer went to the Evanston Police Department and filed a police report for harassment. An investigation into harassment is ongoing, according to the department.
Members of the Equity and Empowerment Commission in Evanston talked about the incident during a recent meeting. Devon Reid, a councilmember, said that the city should abolish the tipped wage system altogether.
CONAN Daily 