JACKSONVILLE, FL (WJXT/CNN) – A McDonald’s manager caught on camera hitting a customer says she’s embarrassed by the incident, which she claims took place after the customer got frustrated over how long it took to get her food order.
Video shot by a customer at a Jacksonville, FL, McDonald’s shows manager Ciarrea Williams walk from behind the counter and hit a female customer.
Williams says she wants to apologize for the incident and that she wishes there had been a different outcome.
The manager explains the customer seen in the video had become frustrated over how long it took to get her food. She claims the woman then began verbally abusing the staff, with her comments even turning “racial.”
According to Williams, the woman, who is white, told the manager, who is black, she makes $1200 per week and that “McDonald’s employees are very poor” and “need to be standing in the Section 8 line in the morning.”
“I turned around to say ‘that’s it’ because I had other customers waiting. ‘That’s it. I draw the line. I draw the line at your cursing and profanity at me and my workers,” Williams said. “And I said, 'Ma'am, I’ll just give you a refund, give you your food and you still can have a nice day.'"
At that point, the confrontation turned physical, Williams says, as the woman threw two drinks at her. One, a hot drink, didn’t hit Williams, but the second one, a soda, did.
The soda left her drenched and humiliated in front of her co-workers and other customers, Williams says.
That’s when the video shot by the customer began, showing the manager come from behind the counter and physically confronting the woman.
“At that moment, no one can tell you what it feels like – at that moment,” Williams said.
Williams has worked for McDonald’s for more than seven years. As of Friday night, she was still employed, but the company is investigating the incident.
A witness disputes Williams’ story, saying the manager was being verbally abusive to her employees and that the customer complained about the behavior.
A criminal defense attorney says Williams could be charged with battery and the customer, too, could face charges.
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