The Chipotle Bowl Thrower Who Was Forced to Work Fast Food

"A suburban branch of a national burrito chain where chronic understaffing, a surge in online orders, and slowed service created a tense, chaotic dinner rush. The store’s lone on-duty supervisor, assistant manager Emily Russell, was depicted juggling stations, firing up the grill when steak ran out, and remaking a simple four-ingredient bowl (white rice, chicken, sour cream, and cheese) multiple times to appease a dissatisfied customer, Rosemary Hayne. Hayne returned, slammed the bowl on the counter and then threw it into Russell’s face; the brief video went viral, leaving Russell traumatized, publicly exposed, and unhappy with the company’s response (promised security and counseling didn’t materialize). The incident highlighted broader industry strains — a jump in app orders, rising customer antagonism, and experiments with automation — and had lasting consequences: a small corporate pay bump failed to retain Russell, who ultimately left fast food, used GoFundMe support to get out of debt, retrained in elder care, and secured a nursing-aide position at a wage comparable to her previous pay." - Reeves Wiedeman