A man from Charles County, Maryland, is furious after he ordered from Chick-fil-A and alleges that a staff member printed a racist term on his receipt. News4’s Aimee Cho reported on the incident.
When Marquise Vanzego received his order at the La Plata Chick-fil-A drive-thru last Friday, he was stunned to find the word “monkeys” on the label instead of his name.
“It was heartbreaking,” Vanzego stated. “It felt like a step back. As a Black man, we endure a lot, and just when you think you’re moving past something, that reminder resurfaces.”
Vanzego went inside to voice his concerns, and both the manager and the store owner later apologized. The owner explained that he wouldn’t dismiss the employee involved, citing that the worker was a minor who had misunderstood the name.
Vanzego noted that he had placed his order in person, not through a speaker, as the employee was standing outside in the drive-thru lane.
“I believe this could have been addressed in a better way,” Vanzego expressed. “The employee should have been let go immediately. While it’s unfortunate for him, he needs to learn from this experience.”
Vanzego mentioned that he used to frequent this Chick-fil-A location multiple times each week.
Chick-fil-A issued a brief response, stating, “This Chick-fil-A is independently owned and operated. The franchisee has apologized to the guest, but this incident does not align with our standards and is unacceptable.”
When News4 contacted the La Plata Chick-fil-A, a staff member declined to comment further.
Vanzego has since hired a lawyer and is contemplating filing a federal lawsuit against Chick-fil-A for discrimination.
“I won’t be returning to Chick-fil-A anymore,” Vanzego remarked. “Racism is still very much alive.”