Here we go again. People are calling for a boycott of Waffle House restaurants after a black couple in Florida was handcuffed over a bill dispute.
CBS News reports a video of the couple disputing the bill went viral, prompting Fort Walton police to release their own footage this week. While the couple thought employees were fixing their bill because they say they were overcharged $1.50 on a glass of orange juice, the restaurant called the police on them.
And their interaction with the police didn’t go any better. Officers kept threatening that the man needed to pay his bill or he was going to jail and at one point an officer pointed a Taser at the man’s chest before arresting him, without even interviewing the employees about the situation.
The couple said they were willing to pay the bill even though they did not get their food and were scolded by an officer for arguing over the bill. Eventually the couple was released but not before the man asked for the officer’s badge number to which he replied, “You know I’m doing you a favor by not taking you to jail now?”
Waffle House acknowledged that their employee could have de-escalated the dispute before calling the police and has since apologized to the couple by giving them a full refund. Waffle House officials also say they will be doing additional training with team members on the proper way to handle situations like that.
TSR STAFF: Christina C! @cdelafresh
