A TikTok video posted by a creator who goes by “Farmer M,” with the handle @michellemerckx, appears to show an argument between two Taco Bell employees at the counter in front of customers. The video’s caption reads “#greenbay #tacobell @tacobell.”
The video opens inside a Taco Bell restaurant, with on-screen text that reads “GOING DOWN AT TACO BELL.” Two employees are behind the counter, one of whom appears to be holding a red drink.
The employee with the drink, who identifies herself as a manager, can be heard telling customers, “Do you guys hear this? She’s a manager and she’s yelling at me.”
The argument appears to have started over an employee making a decision without asking a manager
The manager then tells the other employee, “You are not a manager and you are making executive decisions. You have to ask the manager.” The other employee responds, “Guess who are?” The manager replies, “Yes, you are.”
The second employee says she is “trying to help clean the store,” but the manager tells her, “No, I— Jesse is doing it.” The second employee then tells the manager to “relax” and says, “I am not. Do you not understand that we have been slammed for 3 f—ing hours? That’s why I’m here.”
The manager again tells the second employee to “relax” and says, “Then do not make decisions on your own. You have to ask.” She adds, “We can get in trouble for this. Do you understand that?”
The second employee replies, “No.” The manager continues, “Do you understand that you can get it? We can get in in trouble for refusing to take orders from the driver. According to the video’s creator, lying to them.” The second employee responds, “Yes, you are.”
The manager then says, “You cannot tell them— listen, you are not a manager. You cannot make these decisions, okay? Next time you want to do that, please ask one of us.”
Viewers in the comments section appear divided on who was in the right
Throughout the exchange, both employees appear to gesture and speak animatedly. The manager is seen holding a red drink and wearing a cap, while the other employee has her hair pulled back and is also wearing a cap. The background shows the interior of a fast-food restaurant, including kitchen equipment and digital displays.
One commenter wrote, “i understand the manager but to do that infront of customers is unprofessional.” Another said, “Back of house! Never reprimand in front of customers.” Restaurant disputes caught on camera have flared up in front of customers elsewhere too, as a customer confronted a J. Alexander’s Tampa manager over a hidden to-go box fee before being asked to leave.
A different commenter appeared to side with the manager, writing, “Everyone’s mad that manager did this in front of customers. But low key, the employee was getting reprimanded in the back, then she took the conversation to the front to ask customers ‘you guys hear this.’ It’s kind of on the employee for bringing the issue to the front and trying to get people on her side.”
Another viewer wrote, “Fire that girl. Her attitude is unacceptable. Also she’s the one who walked out in front of the customer and tried to elicit their feedback.” One more commenter said, “I’m high key on the managers side.” Fast-food managers have drawn customer ire on camera for other reasons as well, such as when a Popeyes manager refused to remake a customer’s full cold meal and told her to microwave the food instead.
One person who claimed to have worked with the manager previously commented, “i worked w that lady back at the taco bell at bellevue this is funny af, she’s usually pretty patient tho so i’m guessing she’s in the right.”
