Burger King employee defends blackface costume with 'good heart' comment
A franchise in Minnesota is reviewing the incident after a customer posted footage of a worker explaining her Halloween look.
By Carolina Wood ·
A white Burger King employee told a customer on October 31 that she was wearing blackface because she had a good heart. The worker was in uniform at a drive-thru window when a Black customer asked about her appearance. The interaction was recorded on video and shared on Facebook the same day.
The clip, posted by Shavelle Devine, shows the worker in a Burger King cap and headset. Devine asked if the employee thought the costume was appropriate. The worker replied, 'Siempre que tengas un buen corazón,' or 'As long as you have a good heart.' When pressed on her support for the Black Lives Matter movement and the struggles faced by Black people, the employee gave a hesitant answer. 'Well, no. I just wanted to be Black.. No.. Yes, I know. I mean, no. I don't know. No, I don't know,' she said in the recording.
According to the website SoapCentral, the incident took place in Faribault, Minnesota. Burger King has not officially confirmed the specific location of the franchise. The video gained traction on social media after Devine shared it, prompting a response from the chain's corporate office.
Burger King stated in a written response that the franchise owner is addressing the situation with the management team and the employee. The company said it takes the matter seriously. 'The franchisee at this location is addressing the situation with their team, manager, and employee to ensure that everyone involved understands why this is not acceptable and that it does not happen again,' the statement read. The company did not provide details on disciplinary actions.
As of now, there is no confirmation that the worker was suspended or fired. A separate video generated by artificial intelligence circulated online showing the employee being arrested. The Faribault police department confirmed that no one was detained in connection with the incident. The corporate response noted that the goal is to ensure all staff understand why the behavior was not acceptable.
The worker identified in the video was wearing standard Burger King attire during the exchange. The customer who captured the footage has been identified by PEOPLE magazine. The clip sparked debate online regarding workplace conduct and cultural sensitivity during the Halloween season. Burger King remains the second-largest hamburger chain in the United States by sales.
