A Chipotle customer assaulted an employee over an order dispute and later allegedly threatened to stab him in an online rant.
In a shocking incident at a Chipotle restaurant in Brentwood, Washington, D.C., a customer attacked an employee after a dispute over her order.
The altercation was captured on video and has since gone viral, raising serious concerns about workplace safety in fast-food settings.
A customer became aggressive over her order.
The confrontation occurred on Saturday when a woman became upset with her order.
She claimed that her burrito bowl was not prepared correctly, specifically that it did not contain the double meat she ordered.
When she did not receive the resolution she wanted, she became aggressive.
Footage from the restaurant shows the woman pushing past employees behind the counter.
She was carrying an empty bowl and began filling it with food without permission.
This action sparked an immediate response from employee Roberto Hernandez, who attempted to retrieve the bowl from her.
As Hernandez reached for the bowl, the woman slapped him in the face.
The impact sent food flying around the counter area.
Hernandez described the situation as both shocking and unsettling.
He mentioned that he felt shaken after being assaulted while simply trying to do his job.
Customer and employee responded to the incident
After the incident, the customer spoke to a news outlet, claiming that the employees had been rude and refused to make her a new bowl.
She insisted that she was not aggressive until they had physically engaged her first.
The woman argued that she only “threw” the bowl in response to the employees’ actions.
“I wasn’t aggressive toward them until I got assaulted. The video was cut short,” she told the outlet.
However, Hernandez stated that the receipt clearly indicated the woman had not ordered double meat, contradicting her claims.
He and his manager explained that any refund requests would need to be directed to Uber Eats, as the order had been placed through their service.
“I was mad, upset. But I’m a man you know I can’t hit a female,” Hernandez said. “So I walked away.”
The customer allegedly threatened employees on social media.
Following the physical altercation, the situation escalated further.
Hernandez reported that the woman made threats online, stating she would return to the restaurant and “stab” the employees.
This development alarmed him and his co-workers, who felt unsafe after the confrontation.
Hernandez described how frightened he was by her comments and the potential for further violence.
“Yesterday, she was saying, ‘I’m going to come back and stab them and take their life,’” he told the outlet.
“I was scared. She was scaring my co-workers too.”
Responses from Chipotle
In light of the incident, Chipotle has taken the matter seriously.
The company filed a police report regarding the assault.
This action shows their commitment to employee safety and addressing threats.
There have been similar incidents in the past at Chipotle locations.
Just a year ago, another worker in North Carolina was brutally attacked by customers unhappy over extra charges for food.
This action shows their commitment to employee safety and addressing threats.
Social media reactions
The video of the attack has garnered significant attention on social media, with many expressing outrage at the customer’s behavior.
Viewers supported the employee, condemning violence and advocating for better treatment of service industry workers.
Many people shared their experiences of working in fast food, emphasizing the need for customer respect and understanding.
Hope she spent Christmas behind bars and got what the Police deemed satisfactory for her to eat, one user said.
When you’re entitled and think you hold the ” you can’t touch me” card .. this is the result, the second user wrote.
Arrest her for theft, criminal damage and assault… people like that are no longer needed in society…, the third user commented.
She needs barring. It will do her a favour. Plus locking up, another user said.
threatening to kill staff doing their job should be mandatory prison sentence thats totally unacceptable, someone said.