A Domino’s takeaway apologised yesterday after it referred to a schoolboy customer – as ”the Ginger Kid”.
Flame haired Ross Wajgtknecht, 11, visited his local branch with friends and gave his full name when ordering a Texas BBQ pizza.
But when he came to collect his food he was horrified to discovered that staff had written ”Ginger Kid” in place of his name on his receipt.
His two friends, who had also ordered pizza, had their first names written on their receipts.
The keen footballer, who is in his final year at Peasedown St John Primary School in Bath, Somerset, burst into tears.
He has endured constant bullying because of his bright red hair and his parents are ”disgusted” by the slur.
Ross said: ”I was really sad. I get bullied at school about my hair but you don’t expect it from an adult.
”After I read it I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and brought the packet home because I wanted to show my mum.”
Ross brought the receipt home to his parents Evette (corr), 43, and Andrew, 45, who demanded an apology from the outlet.
Dad Andrew, a builder, raged: ”It is totally disgusting. You would not describe someone by the colour of their skin or by calling them fat so why is it ok to call Ross ginger?
”Surely if they were writing his name on the receipt it would have been easier to write Ross. That only has four letters. Why write Ginger Kid instead?
”I think they picked on him because he is just a lad and they knew he wouldn’t defend himself.
”It is prejudice. There is no way this should happen from adults in a workplace.
”They offered him a free pizza but the damage has already been done and he doesn’t want to go back in case it happens again.”
He added that Ross had received taunts over his hair colour throughout his young life and had burst into tears after being referred to as the ‘Ginger Kid’.
Full-time mum Evette added: ”He is usually quite a strong and confident lad who doesn’t let comments upset him but reading that has really knocked him.
”At the end of the day what we want to do is raise awareness of how this can upset people in the hope others don’t single out the colour of someone’s hair like this.”
Ross bought the pizza on May 28 from the Midsomer Norton branch of Domino’s after an afternoon at the skate park with his friends.
Manager Pat Bennet said: ”It was for the benefit of the person who took the order, it wasn’t meant to cause offence.
”I have apologised to the family over the phone and the member of staff concerned has written an apology to the boy.
”We will ensure nothing like this happens again.
”A problem we often face is children giving us fake names to confuse orders, we often have a groups of young people come in and all give the same name, then they get abusive if we give the wrong order to the wrong person.”
Ross, who plays for league-winning Peasedown St John Athletic under 11s said he took strength from his hero, recently retired Manchester United star Paul Scholes.
He added: ”A lot of my friends call me Scholesy and I don’t mind that.
”Even though he has retired I plan to keep having the name on the back of my shirts.”
Ross and his parents, who live in Peasedown near Bath with their other children Toby, 20, Josh, 18 and Jack, 14, are now demanding a full apology from Domino’s head office.
Yeahhhh thats kinda dumb to do to a kid, being a ginger is supposed to be kickass though, he should relish promoting it as a superior thing.