Two Waffle House employees in Atlanta were fired last week after they poured food including salt, cheese and ketchup on a customer passed out at a table.
The customer had entered the Waffle House in Lithonia, Georgia, on Jan. 2 to sober up after a night out before heading home.
But he ended up passing out on the counter.
In a video obtained by the local ABC news station, one employee can be seen pouring salt and ketchup – as well as placing a piece of cheese – on the man’s head, as another is seen dancing in the background.
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Another scene shows one employee lifting the man’s hand and body up, and moving him as if he’s dancing.
The customer, who would like to remain anonymous, didn’t know this had happened, and when he awoke, paid for his hashbrowns and left.
But after he saw the video on Instagram, he filed a complaint, saying he was “highly embarrassed.”
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The customer’s fiancee was angry at the incident.
“He went to go get his head together, his mind straight, he passed out during the time, and they took advantage of him,” she told WSB-TV.
“As soon as I saw [the video] … I busted out crying.”
The account the video was posted to has since been made private, but the fiancee said she noticed similar videos.
“Half of the people who are on this page probably don’t even know they’re being exposed at the moment,” she said.
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Waffle House said in a statement that the workers were terminated. The Norcross-based restaurant chain says it has been in contact with the customer and has apologized.
“We have been in contact with the customer and have apologized,” Waffle House spokesman Pat Warner told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“When we learned of this event, we launched an investigation, and have terminated the employees involved. Their actions in no way represent our company or our thousands of associates who strive to provide our customers with a positive experience daily.”
A DeKalb County police report has been filed for simple battery, the news station reports. Officers have been sent to the Waffle House and the report says the man was intoxicated.
*with a file from the Associated Press
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