Conversation so far:
What was Bill Robinson's legacy?
Despite earning and spending a fortune, his memories of surviving the streets as a child never left him, prompting many acts of generosity.
What obstacles did Bill Robinson face?
Robinson was successful despite the obstacle of racism. A favorite Robinson anecdote is that he seated himself in a restaurant and a customer objected to his presence.

Question: what did he do ?
Self-contained rewrite: What did Bill Robinson do while the customer objected his presence?