Two employees at a Smoothie King franchise in Ann Arbor, Michigan, have been dismissed after refusing to serve a customer wearing a Donald Trump hoodie. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, was captured on video by the customer, Erika Lindemyer, and subsequently posted online.
In the footage, Lindemyer and her husband, Jake, are seen being denied service by two employees who cited discomfort due to the Trump-themed clothing. One employee is heard saying, 'We have the right to refuse service,' while the other remarks, 'Trump discriminates us.' The couple argued that the refusal constituted discrimination.
The video quickly gained traction, amassing 4.5 million views on Facebook within two days. Smoothie King responded on Monday, issuing a statement that condemned discrimination and confirmed that the franchise owner had taken immediate action, resulting in the termination of the two employees.
'As a brand, Smoothie King is committed to ensuring our stores are a place free of discrimination of any kind,' the statement read. The company added that corporate and the franchise owner had apologised to the customers and that mandatory retraining for all employees would be enforced.
In a separate TikTok video, a woman claiming to be one of the fired employees defended the refusal, stating, 'We're not serving Trump supporters.' The Lindemyers expressed satisfaction with the outcome, with Erika celebrating the firings on social media using emojis including a muscle, heart, fire, and American flag.
