Management at a Noodles & Company restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia fired two unidentified employees Thursday who refused service to a uniformed female police officer.
The initial incident unfolded Monday night when a cook came out of the kitchen, pointed at the officer and said they would not serve her. The officer said the employee also made a joke she could not hear and laughed at her along with a cashier. The restaurant released a brief statement Tuesday saying that after conducting an internal review they would take the appropriate actions, reports WJLA.
“You’re going to have to take me off the line, I ain’t serving that,” the unidentified employee allegedly said to the cashier in the store, according to a police union representative.
Management announced Thursday they fired the employees in question and issued a statement decrying discrimination.
“Discrimination of any kind is never tolerated at Noodles & Company,” the statement read. “After completing a thorough investigation into the allegations brought to us by a police officer who visited our Alexandria, VA location, we have concluded the two team members in question acted inappropriately and we immediately terminated their employment. The views and actions of these individuals are in no way reflective of the Company or team at our Alexandria location.”
Alexandria Committee of Police Vice President Peter Feltham and Police Chief Earl Cook met with the manager at the restaurant Tuesday, who apologized for the actions of his employees. He also reportedly agreed to post signs reading “We Support Blue Lives” on the restaurant’s doors.
The company also released a statement Thursday personally apologizing to the Alexandria Police Department.
“We have the utmost respect for law enforcement officials and value the relationship we have built with the local Alexandria Police Department over the years,” read the statement.
Officials with the Alexandria Police Department are pleased with the response from management and stated they do not think the actions of the two employees are representative of the community.
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