It’s a secret third option, I suspect. You stated that everyone is equal so (by my interpretation) they meant to show you the difference between theory and practice. As in “if you’ve ever worked in the service industry you’d have experienced first-hand that often you are not treated as an equal”.

Everybody is equal, but many assholes don’t see it that way.

Edit: nevermind. Just got to the other comments further down and am shown, again, the folly of giving the benefit of the doubt.