Theresa Braine
New York Daily News
HOWELL, N.J. — A teen employee was fired from Five Guys burger joint after mouthing off at police officers who came in to eat, calling them “piggies” and other slurs.
The teen, 17, was “immediately fired” for hurling insults at five Howell, New Jersey, cops after the restaurant manager notified district manager Cortney Pechillo, who gave the instruction, she said.
“A stupid kid saying something he shouldn’t have,” Pechillo told NJ.com, distancing herself from the ex-employee. “I’ve been here 11 years, and I don’t run the company this way. Immediate action was taken, and we’ll go from there.”
While some customers laughed in discomfort, others were alienated.
“Tonight some of our officers stopped to eat and was met with a rude employee who called them ‘piggies’ while the other employees laughed,” wrote a local business owner on Howell Happenings NJ’s Facebook page. “This is unacceptable behavior, and we will not support any business that shows this kind of disrespect to our police department.”
https://www.facebook.com/HowellHappeningNJ/photos/a.656256844444005/2762316670504668/?type=3&theater
He said his party was just arriving when this happened, and they turned heel and “proceeded to leave the premises.”
The post was later updated to say the situation had been resolved.
Pechillo has written a formal letter of apology to the police force and met with Police Chief Andrew Kudrick, who said he felt the incident had been well handled, NJ.com reported. In addition, the Howell Five Guys will hold a fundraiser for the Howell Police Benevolent Association this week.