Officer’s lost McMuffin order goes viral with insinuations employees would tamper with her food

A police officer, a McMuffin and some hash browns have gone viral.

In a video posted online, a woman who identifies herself as a police officer recounts her experience picking up a previously ordered and paid for McMuffin, hash brown and coffee at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Georgia. Upon receiving her receipt, she recounts, an employee asked her to pull out of the line because her order wasn’t ready. The woman says that later an employee brought her a cup of coffee to her car, but not the food.

The woman tearfully says, “It doesn’t matter what I’ve done for anyone. Right now, I’m too nervous to take a meal from McDonald’s because I can’t see it being made.”

Through a trembling voice she added, “I don’t know what’s going on with people nowadays, but please give us a break … if you see an officer say ‘Thank you,’ because I don’t hear ‘Thank you’ enough any more.”

The video sparked a debate on social media, amplified after Donald Trump Jr. retweeted the video, commenting, “Disgusting what’s going on right now.”

Others have come to her defense, with one user revealing (in a now deleted tweet) the address and phone number of the McDonald’s where they believe this happened. However, many Twitter users have questioned whether the officer had a “mental breakdown” over a late order and have wondered whether she should be allowed to carry a firearm.

Captain Brad Sykes of Richmond Hill (Ga.) Police Department told USA TODAY that the department had received hundreds of calls about the incident, even though the officer in the video does not work for at that department.

Sykes said officers from the department visited the McDonald’s referenced in the video and ate there as a sign of support. The department is forwarding concerns to the agency the officer works for, according to a Facebook post.

McDonald’s breakfast sandwich. (Photo: LauriPatterson / Getty Images)

Earlier this week, three New York police officers claimed they had been served tainted milkshakes at a Manhattan Shake Shack after being hospitalized. The claim was swiftly disputed by a New York Police Department investigation.

While it may seem banal, the discourse around it is indicative of the current tensions in America with police departments.

Millions of Americans have gathered in cities large and small to denounce police brutality and racial inequality in response to the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who was pinned to the ground with a knee on his neck by Minneapolis police officers after being accused of passing a fake $20 bill at a grocery store.

“Our priority is for all customers to feel welcome and enjoy a great customer experience in our family-owned restaurants, including local law enforcement officers who protect and serve our community,” said Gary and Jill Stanberry, the local McDonald’s owner-operators. “Unfortunately, we were made aware of a local police officer who experienced a longer than usual wait time and did not receive her full order right away at one of our restaurants.”

The Stanberrys said they have been in contact with the officer to apologize and had a productive, polite conversation that they believe has resolved the misunderstanding. “We are happy to report that the officer was never denied service and also shared positive feedback on the employee with whom she interacted,” they added.

Follow Josh Rivera on Twitter: @Josh1Rivera.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/06/17/mcdonalds-mcmuffin-officer-karen-goes-viral-over-delayed-order/3207814001/