An employee at Cinnabon is making headlines for her racist outburst against customers — who recorded the interaction and went viral.
The video did not show how the confrontation started, beginning with the employee declaring that she is “racist.” As she stood behind the counter at the Cinnabon location, the employee called customers the n-word and other racially insensitive remarks. The clip was shared by the customers’ cousin on TikTok, who issued a message to viewers.
“Guys pls share this r@cist Karen! My cousin is traumatized! She started disrespecting her hijab after she asked [for] more [caramel] because she hardly put any …” text over the video read, noting that the Cinnabon location was in Wisconsin’s Bay Park Mall.
In the comments section of the video, users have condemned the employee’s behavior. “It is … so much worse than I imagined,” one user wrote, while another added, “I’m so grateful for the brave people that recorded this. Sometimes things like this in smaller towns go under the radar.”
Scroll down to learn more about the viral Cinnabon drama:
What Happened to the Customers at Cinnabon?
In the video, the employee spoke directly at the camera while saying, “I am racist and I will say that to the whole entire world. Don’t be disrespectful. … Bye.”
The employee then proceeded to give the customers two middle fingers before telling them to “suck it” while doing a vulgar gesture. “What the f*** is wrong with you, you f***ing ugly bitch? Get the f*** out of my face,” she said. “Did I stutter?”
What Has Cinnabon Said After the Viral Drama?
The company issued a statement in the comments section of the TikTok. Cinnabon did not publicly identify the employee.
“We’ve seen the disturbing video from the Cinnabon bakery in Ashwaubenon, WI, and we do not condone this behavior,” the statement read. “The former employee was immediately terminated by the franchise owner. Their actions do not reflect our values or the welcoming experience every guest deserves.”
In a follow-up statement to the Associated Press, Cinnabon added: “Their actions and statements are completely unacceptable and in no way reflect the values of Cinnabon, our franchisees, or the welcoming environment we expect for every guest and team member.”
Who Are the Cinnabon Customers Part of the Viral Drama?
An online fundraising campaign to support the Cinnabon customers described them as a “Black Somali Muslim couple,” according to CBS News. The pair were reportedly “traumatized” by the incident.
Who Is the Cinnabon Employee Part of the Viral Drama?
Multiple outlets have identified the employee as Crystal Wilsey. A GiveSendGo account has since been created for Wilsey, with the description reading, “Meet Crystal: hardworking White mom doing her job at Cinnabon. Two Somali customers decide to make her shift hell with intimidation.”
The message continued, “Instead of banning the offenders and backing their employee, Cinnabon fires Crystal to keep the nons happy. We’re not letting this slide. Funds go to making sure Crystal lands on her feet after this betrayal. No White person should lose their job for refusing to be harassed by Somalians.”
What Have Others Said About the Viral Cinnabon Drama?
Edward Ahmed Mitchell, the national deputy director of the Council of American-Islamic Relations, shared his thoughts on the incident in a statement.
“We welcome Cinnabon’s decision to hold this employee accountable for her vile and racist rant against Black Muslim customers,” Mitchell said, per CBS News. “The fact that this employee felt comfortable calling a Black couple the n-word on camera is a sign of how acceptable anti-Black and anti-Somali racism has become. Our political leaders, including President Trump, must stop fomenting hatred against Americans of Somali descent.”