We all love grabbing a quick bite from our favourite restaurants. But we are not always clued in on what’s happening behind the scenes when it comes to hygiene. We are drawn in by the taste and convenience, but the hustle in these kitchens can leave us wondering about cleanliness. Even though they surely follow hygiene rules, we might not get the full scoop. The recent resurfacing of a 2012 incident online is reigniting discussions about the cleanliness of fast-food joints. An anonymous Burger King employee posted a picture on 4Chan of their shoe-clad feet, stepping on lettuce, followed by the caption, “This is the lettuce you eat at Burger King.” (4chan is a website where people post images and comments anonymously, covering a wide range of topics.)
In a matter of minutes, the online community, seemingly unsettled by the idea of shoe dirt in their burgers, swiftly identified the specific Cleveland store where the incident occurred. 4Chan users also circulated it to local news outlets in and around Mayfield Heights.
Also Read: Viral Now: Burger King Employee’s Measly “Goodie Bag” On 27th Work Anniversary
In 2012, a Burger King employee anonymously posted an image on 4-chan of him putting his feet in lettuce, with the caption:
“This is the lettuce you eat at Burger King.”
It took 20 minutes for people to track down the branch the employee worked at and contact the news.
The… pic.twitter.com/kZJ4qGPJpe
— Fascinating (@fasc1nate) December 12, 2023
The next day, Cleveland Scene Magazine got in touch with the Burger King location. When the breakfast shift manager saw the problematic photo, they responded, “Oh, I know who that is. He’s getting fired.”
The original post went live on July 16 at 11:38 p.m.
At 11:47 p.m., another 4chan user noted that the photo’s Exif data pointed to Mayfield Heights, Ohio.
At 11:50 p.m., just 12 minutes later, someone posted the address of the Burger King branch in which the lettuce-stepping… pic.twitter.com/vGnFGwVAFJ
— Mr Commonsense (@fopminui) December 12, 2023
As per a statement from Burger King at that time, three employees involved in the incident were fired. The statement emphasised that the concerned restaurant “is independently owned and operated by a Burger King franchisee.” The company highlighted its “stringent food handling procedures,” underscoring food safety as a paramount concern at all Burger King establishments and maintaining a zero-tolerance policy for any violations like the one in question.
Following the resurfacing of this incident, viewers expressed anger, with a user on X (formerly Twitter) stating, “People should be arrested for this, not only fired.”
People should be arrested for this not only fired ????
— Mickeyl2300 (@mickeyl2300) December 12, 2023
Someone called it a “truly disturbing and unacceptable behavior”, saying, “It’s reassuring to see swift action being taken by the management to address such misconduct. Maintaining hygiene and food safety is paramount in the food industry.”
That’s truly disturbing and unacceptable behavior. It’s reassuring to see swift action being taken by the management to address such misconduct. Maintaining hygiene and food safety is paramount in the food industry. ????????
— Super Saiyan (@Shuaibua) December 13, 2023
A former employee shared that during their time working at BK as a kid, there were instances of kicking burgers like a football across the floor from the store room to the grill. They attributed such behaviour to poor management oversight, stating, “But if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.”
When I was a kid and working at BK , we used to kick the burgers like a football across the floor from the store room to the grill . Management is pretty bad at regulating things like this. But if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys
— Forsaken (@Forsaken404) December 13, 2023
“It’s disgusting. What else goes on in these establishments,” another comment read.
It’s disgusting. What else goes on in these establishments.
— Kevin M (@KevinM179763479) December 13, 2023
A person praised 4chan users, suggesting they should “work to track down serial killers and ufos. How did they track him down just from that picture.”
We need these #4chan sleuths to work to track down serial killers and ufos. How did they track him down just from that picture.
— Rumblo (@Rumblestripss) December 13, 2023
“It’s a good thing he was fired but who knows how many must have done the same way and people ate from it,” wondered another user.
It’s a good thing he was fired but who knows how many he must have done same way and people eat from it
— Ejaeta Favour (@EjaetaF) December 13, 2023
Someone suggested that “no sane human being would behave that way”, asking if he was “evaluated for any kinda mental disorder?”
was he evaluated for any kinda mental disorder? because no sane human being would behave that way.
also, i hope that the person who took the picture was fired as well.— Acetyl CoA (@phychem11) December 13, 2023
Also Read: ‘Is It A Joke?’: Burger King Germany’s Bizarre New Menu Confuses Twitter
Last year, some Burger King restaurants in Germany were closed down after a TV investigation exposed practices such as serving expired products, mouse infestations, and using the same oil for both vegan patties and chicken. The investigation, part of the German TV series ‘Team Wallraff’ revealed these issues through undercover reporters working at Burger King outlets and interviews with former employees. The investigation found improper handling of expired items, including relabeling instead of proper disposal, topping up sauce bottles without cleaning, and serving partially toasted stale burger buns to mask their condition.
