A violent altercation unfolded at a Chipotle restaurant in Brentwood, Washington, DC, on Saturday when a customer allegedly assaulted an employee over a dispute involving her Uber Eats order.
The incident, partially captured on video and widely shared on social media, has left the employee shaken and raised concerns about workplace safety.
The video, posted to X (formerly Twitter), shows the customer, carrying an empty bowl, pushing her way behind the counter.
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She proceeds to scoop food into her bowl while employees attempt to stop her.
Roberto Hernandez, a Chipotle worker involved in the altercation, tried to retrieve the bowl, but the situation escalated.
She got mad at the portions they was giving her and went behind the counter at chipotle like omggg…. 😭 pic.twitter.com/OaMiBqpyp7
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As Hernandez reached for the bowl, the customer pulled it away and slapped him in the face, causing food to scatter across the workstation. “I was mad, upset. But I’m a man, you know I can’t hit a female,” Hernandez told WUSA9, explaining why he walked away from the confrontation.
Hernandez said the conflict began when the customer claimed her Uber Eats order was incorrect.
According to her, the burrito bowl she received did not include the double meat she had requested.
She demanded a refund, but Hernandez and his manager explained that refunds for third-party delivery orders must be handled through Uber Eats.
“I checked the receipt, and it showed she didn’t order double meat,” Hernandez stated.
However, the customer, dissatisfied with their response, took matters into her own hands by going behind the counter to assemble a new order.
The situation became more alarming when Hernandez revealed that the customer allegedly threatened staff after the incident. “Yesterday, she was saying, ‘I’m going to come back and stab them and take their life,’” Hernandez told the outlet, adding that the threats left him and his coworkers fearful.
The unidentified customer, however, disputed the claims, alleging that employees had put their hands on her first.
She told WUSA9, “I wasn’t aggressive toward them until I got assaulted. The video was cut short.” She also claimed that she only “threw” the bowl at the worker and not more.
In response, Chipotle filed a police report, and the customer has stated her intent to sue the restaurant chain.
This is not the first time Chipotle workers have faced violence on the job.
In December 2022, a worker in South Carolina was held down and beaten by two customers upset over an extra charge for chicken.
That same month, two women at a Maryland Chipotle threw food and a chair at an employee who was cleaning.
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The Brentwood incident highlights ongoing concerns about safety for restaurant employees.
Hernandez, reflecting on the event and the viral video, said, “It’s triggering to watch. I was scared. She was scaring my coworkers too.”
The case is under investigation, and Chipotle has not yet provided further comment on the matter.
Source: https://www.rvmnews.com/2024/12/fast-food-frenzy-chipotle-employee-attacked-in-viral-incident-watch/
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