Burger King is responding after one of its employees was filmed wearing blackface while working the drive-thru on Halloween. As reported by TMZ, the company said such behavior is “not acceptable” and that it is taking the situation seriously.
A video that spread widely online shows a white Burger King worker in dark makeup serving customers. In the clip, a customer calls out the employee for her costume, and the worker responds that wearing blackface isn’t bad “as long as you have a good heart.”
The employee was also heard telling the customer, “I’m just Black today.” As detailed by the Jamaica Observer, when the customer asked, “So Black lives matter?” the employee reportedly shook her head and responded, “Well no, I just wanna be Black.”
The customer kept pressing her on what she meant
When asked further about supporting the Black Lives Matter movement or understanding the struggles of Black people, the employee went back and forth on her answer. “Well, no. I just wanted to be Black… No… Yes, I do. I mean, no. I don’t. No, I don’t,” she said.
Burger King has since confirmed that it is aware of the video. “The Franchisee of this location is addressing the situation with his team, manager, and Team Member to ensure everyone involved understands why this is not acceptable and won’t happen again,” the company said.
While Burger King has not officially confirmed the location, the incident is believed to have happened at an outlet at 1501 7th Street NW in Faribault, Minnesota, according to Soapcentral. It is unclear whether the employee has faced any disciplinary action, though rumors that she was fired have been denied. Halloween changes also reached other drive-thrus, as Bojangles gave its AI attendant a witch voice.
This isn’t the first time Burger King has faced criticism over cultural sensitivity. In 2012, singer Mary J. Blige appeared in a Burger King ad promoting chicken snack wraps that some viewed as stereotypical, and the chain quickly pulled it.
Burger King apologized, saying the spot was unfinished and had a music licensing issue. Blige also apologized, saying the ad didn’t come across as intended and that she would never release an unfinished commercial.
In 2019, a Burger King ad in New Zealand showed white people using oversized chopsticks to eat a new “Vietnamese” burger. A Korean woman named Maria Mo posted the ad on X and criticized it, writing, “I’m so sick of racism of any kind.”
A Burger King spokesperson admitted the ad was “insensitive” and did not align with the brand’s values on diversity and inclusion. The company pulled it from its New Zealand Instagram account.
In 2024, a Black woman in Austin, Texas, accused a Burger King location on North Lamar Boulevard of putting a racial slur on her receipt. She had asked for a refund after receiving a wrong order, and the receipt copy she was eventually given allegedly listed a racial slur as the reason for the refund.
“He definitely intentionally put it on there. That is why he did not want to give me the receipt,” the customer claimed. Burger King did not issue a public statement on that incident at the time.
Published: Nov 2, 2026 02:45 pm