Burger King employees chased gay dads away while shouting slurs in alleged hate crime

[Behind the Aegis]

A California family is alleging that workers at a Burger King called them homophobic slurs, made fun of them, and chased them out of the store, fearing for their lives, simply because they were gay.

The incident happened on July 24, and everything got started when Leo and Romiro Mendez decided to order from one of the fast food chain’s restaurants in Salida, California.

“Our two-year-old son was hungry, so I decided to place an order using my Burger King app so we wouldn’t have to wait for the food and because it’s right off the freeway,” Leo recounted.

Instead of feeding their son, they drove right into their nightmare.

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[hunter]

1. There are places in California similar to any you'd find in the former Confederate States.

Trump flags and all.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. True, but I think it is prudent not to make that the "go to".

Homophobia and heterosexism, as you know, aren't just products of "The Confederacy" or white supremacy.

[hunter]

6. I'm very painfully aware of that.

Some of my earliest "separate but equal" gay marriage posts here on DU, near twenty years ago, were horrible.

I've evolved.

The weird thing is I grew up in Hollywood. My parents met working in Hollywood. My parents and grandparents had outlandishly queer friends.

But it was all don't ask, don't tell then.

[EndlessWire]

3. Just gotta say

That video is the worst publicity BK could have suffered. That employee looked slovenly, and he wiped his hands on his jeans. Does BK have no dress standards? Who lets employees look like this?

Anyway, I have no problem staying away from Burger King. Goodness knows what's handling the food situation there.

Cute couple...

[Hugh_Lebowski]

9. If one assumes that the restaurant was, in fact, closed, as the couple were told

Then his dress makes perfect sense.

Many people at restaurants take off their dorky, uncomfortable polyester 'uniform' shirts to do the final, dirty-ass closing/cleanup work once the place closes.

An alternate view of the situation, IOW, is that man dressed like that ... is actually positive evidence of the claim that it was, in fact, after closing.

It's possible that employees failed to lock every door, or let the men in to talk after they banged on the locked door, that kind of thing. Or this video is a view through the closed store's drive-thru window.

Just saying.

[Raine]

12. Good point

the employee definitely looks like he's finished work with customers for the day and is just doing clean up.

[EndlessWire]

13. There is no excuse.

You think that the fact that the guy was dressed like that is positive evidence of the claim that it was, in fact, after closing?? Mr. Lebowski, come on...

“When we got to Burger King restaurant, the manager refused to give us our food saying the restaurant was closed even though they were still open.” They probably thought the store was open because it had lights on and customers in the lobby. Also, they preordered their food. Someone had to know they were owed something there.

"Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office has said that Burger King employees co-operated with detectives because they believed the Mendezes were the aggressors. Still, detectives believe there was enough evidence to forward the case for the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office to investigate further as a potential hate incident."

Mr. Lebowski, do you think that detectives would bother to take an incident report and forward it to the DA if there were not sufficient evidence of a crime committed against the couple? And yes, the video was shot through the drive through, but the window was open, because the restaurant was still open.

Mr. Lebowski, any restaurant that would allow its staff to be this slovenly is not exactly the restaurant that you would want to eat in. Think about it.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

14. I'm not saying nothing wrong happened, only addressing the possibility it was after closing time

I'm not saying nobody knew they were owed something.

There could still be >0 customers in the lobby after closing time. What if they close at 10pm and these gentlemen showed up at 10:04. Most restaurants don't evict everyone at the second they stop serving and they can't shut off the lights until people leave.

So yes, I stand by the possibility that they arrived after closing time and that's why the employee was in a tank top in the video. I worked in fast food when I was young, so I know it's very common for uniform standards to change after closing cause those shirts they make you wear SUCK.

And no I don't care if people dress comfortably for the nasty cleanup, once the food prep part is done for the day.

[dsc]

5. Sometimes I see stories about companies involved in anti LGBT incidents

and wonder, do they not have any LGBT executives. Here, I am asking, does Burger King not have anyone with a clue as an executive. I would have paid big, big, bucks to avoid that publicity even if I thought the couple were the aggressors.

[Solly Mack]

7. Love how the BK employees were so willing to cooperate w/ the police because

they felt their victims were the "aggressors". That the family were the ones in the wrong.

So confident in their hate and ignorance.

[brer cat]

8. Disgusting behavior.

I simply cannot understand why some people feel they can treat others so vilely.

[rockfordfile]

11. If true, then it's a hate crime. The pos should be arrested.

[Treefrog]

15. Ugh, that employee does not strike me as the most hygienic.

And the utter bigotry displayed would ensure I never ate there.

I hate fast food anyway, so it’s a moot point for me. I hope they’re punished.