Two Jacksonville, Florida, Burger King employees were terminated after customers said a woman got out of line and began preparing food behind the counter.
Jeffrey and Marcelita Jones told WJAX-TV that they were at the Burger King at 937 Dunn Ave. when a woman stepped out of the slow-moving line.
They said the woman -- who was in plain clothing -- walked behind the counter and put on a pair of gloves.
A photo appears to show her preparing or handling food.
"She definitely, she had it her way," Jeffrey Jones said. "She didn’t even wash her hands."
The siblings said that employees and a woman who appeared to be the manager didn't seem to try to stop the woman.
"I said, 'No, you’re not about to fix my food. You’re not in uniform,'" Marcelita Jones said.
WJAX-TV went to the Burger King on Wednesday and asked a manager why the woman was allowed behind the counter, and if any of the food she reportedly prepared was served to customers.
The unnamed manager told the reporter: "I appreciate you bringing that to my attention but please take it up with my company."
The witnesses said they believed the woman in plain clothes might have been an employee. WJAX-TV asked the manager if that was the case.
“It’s apparent that we don’t know anything about it, but we will look into it, and deal with it, and investigate it,” he said.
WJAX-TV called and emailed Burger King's corporate office for more information.
A spokesperson sent a statement that said in part:
“…The person in the photo was an off-duty employee who went behind the counter to prepare food. This should not have happened and as soon as the owner of this location was made aware of this incident, the franchise owner terminated the team member and manager for violating their company policies."
The witnesses said they believe more training for the employees would have been a more appropriate measure as opposed to termination.
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