A former employee of Burger King has come forward to share the true reason behind her dismissal from the fast-food establishment, following her viral story of single-handedly managing the store for 12 hours.
Nykia Hamilton gained widespread attention last month after she took on all roles at a Burger King in Columbia, South Carolina. As a mother of three, she managed various tasks including overseeing the front counter and handling the drive-thru service.
In a TikTok video cited by the New York Post, a customer remarked, “[She’s] doing the fries, the burger, the chicken sandwiches. She’s doing everything by herself,” praising her efforts to ensure all customers were taken care of.
Hamilton disclosed to WACH Fox 57 that her solitary workload was due to a staffing shortage, triggered by a sudden resignation.
Soon after, Hamilton announced that she had been let go from Burger King, even after managing the restaurant alone for an extended period.
On TikTok, the 25-year-old stated, “[Burger King] fired me because I’ve been late because of my kids. My kids come first. Y’all don’t pay for no babysitter, or nothing.”
Speaking to various media outlets, including the Daily Mail, Hamilton explained that her termination was due to ‘attendance issues.’ She faced challenges in arranging childcare for her children, causing her to be late for shifts that sometimes lasted up to 12 hours.
In response to her situation, Hamilton set up a GoFundMe at the suggestion of her supporters, and it has amassed an impressive $132,000.
She expressed her gratitude to the Daily Mail, saying, “This has all been so surprising. I didn’t expect this support and love from people. I really appreciate it… It means a lot to me and my children.”
With her newfound funds, Hamilton plans to secure a home for her family and has also set aside money for her children’s future.
The former employee is contemplating her next career step, having received a job offer from Target, as well as opportunities in the fields of hospitality, insurance sales, and distribution.
Despite the overwhelming support, Hamilton has also faced online criticism. She addressed this, saying, “I didn’t ask for this support; I was advised to set up the GoFundMe. I try to ignore the negativity, because I know myself and my heart and what I do for my kids, but it has affected my son.”
She continued, “He’s mad because he knows I’m a great mom and I have a big heart. But I told him that we live in a world of negativity, so you have to take the positives and keep pushing.”
A spokesperson for Burger King commented, “No Team Member should ever be left to run a restaurant alone, even for a short period of time. That’s not how we operate, and we’re disappointed that our policy, which requires more than one Team Member to work per shift, wasn’t followed.”
They added, “Terminations are the decision of the franchisees who own and operate the BK restaurant. In this situation, the franchisee confirmed that the individual involved is no longer employed due to repeated attendance issues.”
“While we can’t share more on individual personnel matters, we’re focused on making sure every restaurant, whether company or franchise-run, has the staffing and support needed to take care of our Team Members and deliver the kind of experience our Guests expect.”