Marquise Vanzego, a Black customer, was “disgusted” and “humiliated” when he discovered

his Chick-fil-A receipt had labeled him as “Monkeys,” a racial slur. The incident occurred

on August 23, 2024, at a Maryland drive-thru. Vanzego, who ordered face-to-face, was initially

confused when the employee called out a name that didn’t match his. After clarification,

he found the offensive label on his ticket. The store manager apologized and refunded his order,

but the franchise owner, who declined to fire the employee (a minor), said the issue was a

misunderstanding. Vanzego emphasized the need for consequences for such actions.

Chick-fil-A corporate issued a statement saying the experience was unacceptable…

Vanzego said he sought immediate clarification and spoke with the on-duty manager, who offered an apology and a refund for his order.

Later, he spoke with a store manager who wasn’t present during the incident and declined to publically comment.

In the days following, Vanzego shared his experience on social media platforms, including Facebook. He posted videos and a letter he’d sent to Chick-fil-A corporate about the incident.

Reactions online were mixed – some people expressed sympathy and support, while others questioned the exact cause, suggesting it could have been a miscommunication due to an intercom error.

Yet Vanzego has clarified that he ordered face-to-face with a young male employee, not through an intercom, leaving him doubtful that a technology error was to blame.

The customer later spoke with the store’s franchise owner, who apologized but also explained that he would not be firing the employee involved, reportedly a minor under 18 years old.

According to Vanzego, the store’s franchise owner said the employee simply wrote down what he thought he heard.

The customer believes this lack of accountability may signal to the young employee that such actions are permissible.

“I understand, he’s a young man, he’s 17, he’s still learning,” Vanzego said. “But he also needs to know that there are consequences when you do things like that.”

He added: “When my kids did things, they had to deal with the consequences.”

Chick-fil-A’s corporate office, which does not manage this independently owned franchise, has issued a general statement.

It reads: “This Chick-fil-A is independently franchised and operated. The franchisee of this restaurant has apologized to the guest. However, this experience does not meet our expectations and is unacceptable.”

And as for the controversial label printed on his receipt? It read ‘Monkeys,’ which has long been a racial slur against Black people.