A California man was filmed using a racial slur against a Popeyes manager over a delayed order, then threatened to wait for him after his shift

A California man was recorded repeatedly using a racial slur against a Popeyes manager during a heated confrontation sparked by a delayed food order. According to The Nerd Stash, the incident, which was captured on video by another customer inside the restaurant, shows the man becoming increasingly aggressive as he demanded his chicken after an alleged 30-minute wait.

The footage shows the man knocking his hand against the glass partition that separated him from the manager. During this outburst, the man directed multiple racial slurs at the employee while simultaneously suggesting that the manager was fortunate the glass was there to prevent a physical confrontation.

He continued to curse at the manager throughout the exchange, questioning the employee’s authority and demanding that he personally assist with the food preparation. “Who made you manager?” he asked at one point. The manager appeared to offer him a refund because of his behavior, but the man refused the money and insisted that his order be completed and placed in a bag immediately. A similar dispute drew attention recently when a refund fight over a chicken order played out at another restaurant.

The threats got even worse from there

In response, the manager asked him to be patient, which did not calm the man down. The man mocked the manager for his employment at the restaurant and repeatedly used the N-word while threatening to report him to corporate. In my opinion, perhaps the most concerning part of the entire encounter occurred when the man threatened to wait for the manager outside after his shift. This specific remark has become a major focal point for those analyzing the legality of the man’s actions.

While some may focus on the lack of physical property damage, the legal reality regarding threats in California is quite specific. Under Penal Code 422, which covers criminal threats, the law does not require physical harm to have actually taken place for a charge to be filed. This statute applies to verbal threats of death or great bodily injury that are made with the intent to be taken seriously and that leave the target in sustained fear for their safety.

It is a wobbler charge, meaning it can be pursued as either a misdemeanor or a felony, and it applies even if the person making the threat has no actual intent to follow through on it. The use of racial slurs in this context also brings the Ralph Act, or Civil Code 51.7, into the conversation. This law ensures that everyone in California has the right to be free from violence or intimidation by threat of violence based on their race.

While speech alone is generally protected, it can support a legal claim if the speech itself threatens violence against a specific person, causes that person to reasonably fear that violence will follow, the speaker acted in reckless disregard of how threatening the speech was, and the speaker has the apparent ability to carry out the threat. Violations of this code can result in penalties reaching up to $25,000 through a civil suit or a state complaint.

As of now, it is unclear whether the situation escalated further after the cameras stopped rolling or if there will be any formal legal action taken.