As it turns out, being shamefully cruel and offensive will sometimes come back to haunt you. For a Buffalo Wild Wings employee who insulted a homeless man—who just wanted a humane interaction while purchasing his food—that means getting exposed on the internet and a guaranteed lay-off first thing next Monday morning.
According to the New York Daily News, a yet unidentified employee at the restaurant’s Lake Charles, LA location wrote a vulgar note on the man’s order, which unfortunately read: “For homeless fuck! Let sit and get gross.” While the employee figured his brilliant bit of comedy would stay in-house, the homeless man saw the note. Fortunately, so did another customer—who took it upon herself to right this wrong in any way possible.
“He said, ‘You all know that I’m homeless, I don’t have anywhere to live,’ and it just really upset me,” said 26-year-old Kailynn Weston. “And I was like, ‘That’s not OK, one, for someone to treat a customer like that, let alone a customer in his condition.’” Weston then spoke to the manager to demand whoever was responsible experience the appropriate repercussions.
“I said, ‘This isn’t right and I demand that she get fired or something happen because I won’t come here anymore, for sure, and I’ll let other people know not to come here anymore, because it’s not OK,’” she said.
In a frankly surprising turn of events, not only did regional manager Ray Rhodes make sure the responsible employee be fired by next Monday, but ensured the restaurant chain help the homeless man in question in a wonderful, humane way. The man who had to see that note, while struggling to survive as a homeless man in America, has incredibly received a year’s worth of free wings, a Walmart gift card intended for new clothes, and a hotel room. While it’s unclear how long he’ll get to stay there, the chain has also vowed to donate to a local homeless shelter.
“It’s embarrassing for this gentleman and it’s very inhumane on the part of the employees,” said Rhodes. “It’s not our culture and it’s not who we are.”
As for the charitable donations, Kelli Tidwell Stawecki of the Water’s Edge Gathering Church said she received over 800 free wings, and thanked the restaurant on Facebook. “I spoke at links [sic] with the fellow this happened to & he was very thankful that everyone is being so nice to him & all is forgiven,” she wrote. “It was a good day!! When hate is loud, love can not be silent!!”
