The Absurd Reason One McDonald's Employee Was Assaulted With A Fry Scoop

Whether it's through receiving repeat angry phone calls about incorrect orders, or being (unfairly) screamed at over missing menu items, anyone who's ever worked in the fast food industry is probably no stranger to dealing with unhappy customers. But, every once in a while, people express their dissatisfaction in ways that are so extreme, no one could have expected it. That's exactly what happened at a McDonald's in Nashville nearly two weeks ago, after one woman unleashed her fury on an employee by punching them with a metal fry scoop, per a police report shared in The Charlotte Observer. 

A series of surveillance photos released by officials after the incident show the customer entering the restaurant, making their way behind counter, and attacking the employee with the sharp kitchen tool. The reason for this anger? Apparently, they felt like their French fry order was taking too long. Police arrived at the McDonald's location shortly after the attack occurred, but by then, the assailant had fled the scene. Officials later wrote in a statement that the incident left the employee with a "gash on their forehead."

This isn't the first time a McDonald's employees has become the victim of customer violence. According to Business Insider, one survey of 4,187 McDonald's workers by Service Employees International Union found that, in 2020, 44% of respondents had been verbally harassed or physically assaulted by customers.

The recent McDonald's French fry attack is just one of many examples of how altercations between customers and fast food workers have become increasingly violent amid the worker shortage. And, unfortunately, it does not look like it's going to get better any time soon. According to a recent report from the National Restaurant Association, 4 out of 5 US restaurants claim to be understaffed, with many struggling to find enough labor to meet their customer demand. 

In addition to limiting business hours, some restaurants are responding to the shortage by cutting the number of staff on duty at a given time (via the Washington Post). And, with fewer people around to work the fryer, handle the register, and pack orders, this means fast food restaurants might struggle to be as fast as they once were.

Although it remains unknown exactly how long the woman actually waited for her McDonald's French fries, it seems the vast majority of people agree her reaction was way out of line. Under one post about the incident shared on Facebook by a Nashville news station, several commenters expressed their horror at the woman's behavior over such a minor inconvenience, with many describing her actions as "entitled" and "disgusting." Another commenter criticized the customer's complete lack of awareness about the employees' plight, concluding with, "If you don't want to have to wait, I suggest you make your own food."