Christo’s Owner Calls Alleged Racial Incident ‘Unusual’ as Facebook Post Sparks Community Response
{Photo Credit: Antionette Kerr/Davidson Local}
A viral Facebook post claiming racial discrimination inside Christo’s Family Restaurant has ignited swift public response and prompted an internal investigation by the 42-year-old Lexington eatery.
Barbara Key White said she and three other Black women were dining at Christo’s when they overheard racial slurs coming from the kitchen. She also claimed they weren’t given silverware promptly and left feeling unwelcome. Her post—which has been shared dozens of times and viewed by more than 75,000 people—sparked a flurry of online commentary, with some backing her experience and others defending the restaurant’s long-standing reputation.
Co-owner George Abatiziz, who wasn’t on site at the time, described the situation as “unusual” and said the conflict appeared to stem from a dispute between two employees.
“We’re taking this seriously,” Abatiziz said.
His daughter, Melina Abatiziz, added:
“It was a really bad moment. Things got heated—but they already had issues. We’re trying to get to the bottom of it.”
Tywaasha Murray, a manager who was present at the time, said:
“This wasn’t just about that night—they already had issues.”
Abatiziz says Christo’s is a family environment that welcomes all. {From left to right: Tywasha Murray, Melina Abatiziz and father George Abatziz said that they want to make amends for the argument that customers overheard last week}
Murray confirmed that one employee allegedly accused another of not wanting to serve the table of Black women due to their race. “We’re like a family here,” she said. “We’ve never seen anything like this.”
Melina said the staff offered to cover the table’s entire bill as a gesture of goodwill, but some members of the group chose to leave. “We want to make amends,” Melina said. “That’s not who we are.”
Melina, who volunteers her photography for local nonprofits like Justice for Charles McNeair and PFLAG, said the family understands what it’s like to face discrimination. George said, “We’re active in our community because I know what it means to be judged as immigrants.” He said his father was treated poorly when he immigrated from Greece. “That isn’t the kind of business we want to be.”
George Abatiziz said he welcomes everyone and wants the community to know the values Christo’s stands for. “We welcome everyone—from all over the world,” he said. “We’re a family business. We don’t want this kind of issue. And we hope those customers will come back and give us another chance.”
An official statement from Christo’s leadership team is expected later this week.
