The Viral Wendy's TikTok That Allegedly Got An Employee Fired
TikTok has proved itself to be a great platform for organizing civil rights movements, sparking dance trends, sharing creative recipes, spreading misinformation, and exposing the secrets of the fast-food giants.
In the case of exposing what goes on behind the scenes at fast-food chains like McDonald's, Burger King, and Taco Bell, TikTokers frequently risk losing their jobs. One Starbucks barista was fired after he posted a TikTok saying any employee wearing a headset can hear drive-thru orders. A Chick-fil-A employee was fired simply for sharing menu hacks, says Business Insider.
With countless TikTokers being fired for seemingly minor offenses, we can hardly be surprised when someone gets fired for exposing a chain's darker secrets. In 2019, a Panera employee was fired after she posted a TikTok showing how the chain reheats frozen mac n' cheese to serve to customers (via The Washington Post). Even more recently, a Wendy's employee faced backlash after their viral TikTok revealed a very disturbing kitchen reality.
This Wendy's packs more protein than you'd like
A TikToker working at a Georgia Wendy's lost their job after their video went viral. The TikTok in question showed the sandwich assembly station, complete with – brace yourselves – dozens of live cockroaches. "Right where y'all sandwiches are made," the TikToker says in the clip. "Roaches falling out."
According to the Daily Dot, a follow-up video posted the next day claimed that the TikToker had been fired from Wendy's for posting about the cockroaches. Many comments criticized the TikToker for not doing a better job cleaning the kitchen area. Others made light of the cockroach situation with comments like "free protein with this economy?"
Although viewers were understandably disgusted, many people would argue the public service announcement was necessary. Several comments vowed to avoid fast food and instead cook at home. With potential customers backing away with their appetites, it makes sense Wendy's wouldn't want news of the cockroach infestation spreading, but firing an employee after the damage is done probably isn't going to fix anything.