Marquise Vanzego, an African American man from La Plata, Maryland, said he felt “disgusted” and hurt after a Chick-fil-A employee labeled his order with the word “Monkeys” instead of his name. The incident gained attention after he posted about it online.
Vanzego said he stopped by the restaurant’s drive-thru one evening to pick up dinner after work. When an employee called out “Monkeys” for an order that matched his meal and white van, he realized the name referred to him. “Your heart has that little sting in it,” he told Today, describing the moment as deeply painful and humiliating.
He immediately asked to speak with the on-duty manager, who apologized and offered a refund. Later, he spoke with another manager named Kevin, who wasn’t present at the time of the incident. Vanzego recorded both interactions and shared the videos, along with a letter he sent to Chick-fil-A, on Instagram and Facebook.
The posts quickly went viral. Many people expressed sympathy, while others questioned whether the name might have been misheard. Vanzego clarified that there was no intercom involved and that he had placed his order directly with a “young white male” working outside the restaurant.
A few days later, Vanzego said the franchise owner, John Flatley, called to apologize but declined to dismiss the employee, saying they were under 18. Flatley reportedly said the worker simply wrote down what they thought they heard. Vanzego said he was disappointed by the decision but hoped the teenager would learn from the incident.
Chick-fil-A’s corporate office later stated that the La Plata location is independently owned and operated. The company apologized, calling the incident “unacceptable” and not reflective of its standards.
He said he wants accountability rather than anger. “I understand he’s a young man, he’s 17, he’s still learning, but he also needs to know that there are consequences when you do things like that,” he said.
SOURCE: blacknews.com