When several police officers stopped by a Five Guys restaurant for a bite to eat, they were disappointed as the employees turned them away because of their profession. However, the corporate office issued a bold statement clarifying its stance.
While breaking from patrol, a group of Daphne Police officers walked into a Five Guys burger joint for a late-night dinner. No sooner had the three Alabama officers walked into the restaurant to place their order than they were made aware that their patronage was unwelcome.
According to WJW, a crew of 6 or 7 employees allegedly turned their backs on the police officers when they entered the restaurant lobby. An officer involved in the incident told the news outlet that a worker bluntly stated, “I’m not serving them,” making it clear that the employees wanted the officers to leave.
Not wanting to escalate the situation, the officers immediately walked out of the restaurant to find another eatery that would serve them. The Daphne Police Department then reached out to the company to inform them of the incident in case they wanted to take action.
Expectedly, the company promised to look into the claims and get back to the police department, WPMI reports. However, the surprising twist came after the company had determined that the workers did refuse to serve the police officers.
“Five Guys and the Franchisee of the Daphne, AL location were made aware of reports that local Police Officers had been denied service by employees at that location,” the corporate officer confirmed. “Five Guys and the franchisee are actively investigating the situation and are committed to getting to the bottom of it. However, no matter what the details are, we do not want these police officers, or any customer, to feel disrespected or slighted in anyway. We apologize to those officers and also want to make it clear that Five Guys and its franchisees are committed to fair, respectful, and equal treatment for all customers. We will continue to investigate the matter.”
In a move of support for the community and its police, Five Guys announced that they had not only suspended and fired all employees involved in the incident but also that the company “has temporarily closed for further education and customer service training with a representative from the Daphne Police Department.”
“Five Guys and the Daphne, AL franchise want to thank the Daphne Police Department for their support in working together toward a resolution. The actions the Daphne, AL franchise have taken include termination and suspension of the employees involved,” the corporate office said in a statement. “As we uphold our commitment to fair, respectful, and equal treatment for all customers, please know that the actions and sentiments of a few employees in Daphne, AL do not represent Five Guys or the local franchisee.”
The Daphne PD expressed their gratitude for the company’s swift action and support. In an official statement, the department explained that they will continue to work with the restaurant and patronize the location.
“The Daphne Police Department appreciates the outpouring of support from our community and from supporters of Law Enforcement across the country,” the Daphne PD wrote. “We also want to thank Five Guys on a corporate and local level. We have been working through this situation and there has been total cooperation. The Daphne Police Department does not think that the actions of a few employees represents Five Guys as a whole.”
Both the police department and restaurant have received an outpouring of support from their local community. Additionally, most social media users voiced their agreement with the company’s handling of the employees as well as the grace expressed by the officers.
Most people have a favorable view of law enforcement officers and don’t like to see them mistreated. Just as Five Guys has asked customers not to judge the company by the actions of the ex-employees, police officers across the nation hope that we won’t condemn them for the actions of a few.
