A witness at the Jacksonville McDonald's backs up the manager's claim that a customer threw coffee at her. (Google Street View/Reuters)
A McDonald’s manager who was filmed hitting a customer at a restaurant in Jacksonville, Fla. says she only snapped because the customer threw hot coffee at her — but she’s sorry nonetheless.
"I want to apologize to my head boss, which is my store owner, also my coworkers, my team, my family and my kids," McDonald’s manager Ciarrea Williams told WJXT.
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Williams further claimed that just prior to Thursday’s incident, the customer had been complaining about slow service, and became verbally abusive and began making racial comments towards the staff and disparaging comments about their wages. Williams says she offered the woman a refund and told her to have a “nice day,” but the woman instead threw two drinks at her, a cold soda and a hot coffee. Williams says she was only hit with the soda.
Footage of the altercation, which was filmed by another customer inside the restaurant, shows only what happened after the woman threw a drink at Williams, according to a witness who spoke with WJXT.
"The customer took her whole cup of Coke and threw it at the manager. The manager came out from behind the counter, confronted the lady, kind of butted her up against the counter, slapped her face, knocked her glasses off,” he said.
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Williams, meanwhile, has called the whole thing “embarrassing” and said she wishes the incident never happened.
“At that moment, no one can tell you what it feels like at that moment,” Williams told WJXT. “It was more-so embarrassment, because I was still nice to her. I gave it my all and I stayed professional, even with her calling me every name in the book.”
McDonald's has confirmed to Fox News that the owner/operator of that restaurant, Debbie Moreland, is currently looking into the incident.
“I do not condone the behavior depicted in this video. We are currently investigating this matter," said Moreland.
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It is unclear if the customer or Williams is pressing charges.