A disturbing video has gone viral showing a McDonald’s customer hurling a cup of hot coffee at an employee during a heated argument at the counter. The incident, reportedly captured inside a U.S. McDonald’s restaurant, shows the woman leaning over the counter before launching the drink directly at the worker’s face, prompting screams and chaos among bystanders.
According to witnesses, the altercation began over an incorrect order, which quickly escalated when the customer demanded a refund. As tensions rose, the woman allegedly became aggressive, throwing the scalding beverage before storming out of the restaurant. The employee, visibly shocked, suffered burns and was later treated for minor injuries.
The video, shared widely on platforms like TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), has sparked outrage among viewers demanding legal consequences for the attacker. Many have expressed sympathy for fast-food workers who often face verbal and physical abuse from angry customers.
Local authorities confirmed they are investigating the incident, while McDonald’s released a statement condemning the behavior and reaffirming their commitment to employee safety. The clip continues to circulate online, reigniting discussions about workplace respect and the mistreatment of service industry employees.
An irate customer who threw a cup of scalding coffee at a McDonald’s employee at a location in Saginaw, Michigan, was so well-known in her community that police received over 100 tips identifying her shortly after they posted footage of the attack. Video filmed by eyewitness Tara Martus shows part of a lengthy exchange between the customer and the employee. In the video, the woman says she has been at the McDonald’s for an hour and argues with the employee, who explains that her breakfast order was automatically canceled by the restaurant’s system due to breakfast service being closed for the day. The employee repeatedly tells the customer that a refund had been issued and would take 48 hours to be credited to her. When the employee finally disengages, the customer yells expletives, takes the top off the cup, and throws the hot coffee at the worker as she walks away. The Buena Vista Police Department posted a public appeal for information, but edited their post less than an hour later, saying they had identified the suspect. Detective Russ Pahssen of the Buena Vista Police Department told MLive he received “over 100” tips and the woman was identified “in two minutes,” but was still at large. The employee suffered minor burns, and the department recommended the suspect be charged with felonious assault, MLive reported.
