Taco Bell Offers White Customer $20 Gift Card After Beating By Black Employees

I couldn't believe what I just read. A white guy and his girlfriend went to a Center City, Philadelphia Taco Bell on February 24, to pick up some friends who had placed an order. The Taco Bell was packed and customers in the store were complaining about the long wait time for their orders. Employees were seen talking among themselves and were disinterested in listening to the customers complaints, only stating that Grubhub orders took precedence.

The victim, Bryan Reese, stated that three employees unexpectedly "snapped" and jumped over the counter and followed him outside. Once outside, one Taco Bell employee held Reese down, while other employees started to punch him. Once they were done attacking Reese, they attacked his girlfriend.

Reese's friend shot the video clip posted below, showing the attack. Even though Reese suffered injuries, Taco Bell wouldn't release the names of the employees involved, preventing Reese from pressing charges. Philadelphia Police seem to be dragging their feet concerning this beating. They stating that they're investigating this incident, as well as another incident that occurred at the same Taco Bell seven days later. Seems like a cut-and-dried, strong case, especially with the video evidence, but the Police Captain states they're trying to "untangle this" and "put all the pieces together."

So, what did Taco Bell do in response to this incident?

In a statement, a spokesperson for the chain says the company is shocked and disappointed, also pointing out the franchisee is retraining staff and the six team members in the video have been fired.

Reese says he decided to release the video after reaching out to corporate Taco Bell, but the only response he got was an offer for a $20 gift card.

philadelphia.cbslocal.com...

$20 gift card? LMAO. "Retraining" staff for what? Not assaulting their customers when orders get backed up? Pretty obvious that a handful of black employees randomly singled out a white guy and his girlfriend, then gave them a beat down outside the restaurant. How is this not considered a hate crime? What if a group of white employees did this to a black man and his girlfriend? Every major news outlet would be covering it, if this was the case, along with Al Sharpton condemning another "hate crime" against blacks. Even though Taco Bell fired the employees involved, shouldn't they, at the very least, be arrested and charged with assault?

Seems odd they would withhold the names of the employees.

Well, I guess it's the standard response these days, lawyer up and drag the companies name through the mud on social media.

Is philly a bad area? I mean all dense urban areas are wastelands to us normal folk, but is it like top 5?

a reply to: MisterSpock

I think this guy has a HUGE reason to "drag the companies name through the mud on social media."

Philthadelphia, the Mos Eisley of the United States, enough said.

originally posted by: shawmanfromny
a reply to: MisterSpock

I think this guy has a HUGE reason to "drag the companies name through the mud on social media."

I agree, you'd think a company would assist the investigation.

I'm sure skin color is playing a role. As the usual cliche goes, if it was reversed you'd have the head of taco bell crying on TV, probably visit the guy in the hospital.

Hell ya, 20!!!

a reply to: shawmanfromny

Looks to me like Taco Bell did the only thing they could do. They fired them. I'm not for punishing a business for actions by employees the company had no part in. It's dishonest to blame Taco Bell.

The police though, need to charge them all with assault and follow through. Punishment is their job.

How about a $20 million lawsuit instead?

Wow. Lots of possible reasons for employees to be stressed out; delivery services are now fulfilling orders and they seem to get precedence over in-store customers. They were likely overwhelmed and understaffed making for an impossible situation. I've worked in corporate chains before and they are notorious for understaffing and having expectations that are more or less impossible.

That said it's still no excuse to attack customers, regardless of how rude they might have been. Unless they themselves were assaulted then they should be charged with assault. I don't believe in "hate crimes" so I wouldn't want that being a part of any prosecution. The fact the Philly PD is dragging their feet and didn't immediately arrest those employees seems to betray a minority bias. Reverse the races and this would be front page news, lead story on National news, another racist attack against unarmed black people.

Sick to death of this agenda they're pushing, this isn't the 1920's anymore and the KKK is not lurking around every corner. Looks to me like these Democrat-run big cities are the worst when it comes to racial politics.

originally posted by: schuyler
How about a $20 million lawsuit instead?

As long as it's directed at the people who did it. Do you think those former Taco Bell employees have that kind of money?

a reply to: shawmanfromny

Well the $20 gift card was made by the Franchisor - the Franchisee hasn't offered anything because its probably in their lawyers hands.

What more should the Franchisor do, shut the branch down? Not going to happen - making too much money for them.

Then who would feed the needy of Philly? Do people even know how to cook in the urban areas of the States anymore?

a reply to: shawmanfromny

The $20 gift card is because it's a franchise store and not a corporate one. That means that the store is less affiliated with Taco Bell than you might think. They order their products from the same companies, use the same menu as corporate but have creative rights to not allow or add other items and deals, use the name, style and imagery, but that's it.

As far as money goes, that's all done by the franchise as if it were its' own independent restaurant or chain of restaurants. Most franchises own most restaurants of a certain brand or group of brands in a geographic area. Payroll, taxes, paying for supplies, paying for renovations or repairs, its' all independent. The franchise pays or already paid the corporation to be able to do this.

The franchise is trying to duck more drama and rightfully so, as would any company in that situation, by firing the employees involves and retraining the staff. As for a conspiracy to hide the identities of the perpetrators who were fired, that's a bunch of baloney. If it's true, it's the police department's fault because it's the law that the franchise has to give the police the names of the attackers. They're not defending them, they don't care about them, employees are a dime a dozen, just need to be open to being trained, no other major prerequisite.

Wow! $20 gift card does seem like another sucker punch for the victim. It seems like the guy was not sharing this video publicly and trying to work with police and corporate on this matter...at least until they basically tacoed him with this insult.

I must admit I was surprised that the police were not arresting these 3 for assault charges. It is not like this guy was wearing a MAGA red cap and Enticed them to beat him up. What's up with that? Obviously, if employees have been fired, there is no reason for the police to not know who was involved.

Reverse the victim's race and the ratio of the races beating the victim and Taco Bell might be filling for bankruptcy.

a reply to: shawmanfromny

If they were black, they wouldve received more than that, a go fund me account, paid TV exclusive interviews and the whole works, just for being asked to leave by a white employee...

a reply to: Blaine91555

It's not punishing the company for the actions of their employees but for how they responded to the actions of their employees. The offered a 20 dollar gift card and are refusing to cooperate in a complete legit assault case.

Had they assisted in the case and offered to pay his medical bills and a bit more to cover other expenses he might have from the incident then sure I'd agree.

Firing the employees is simply not enough. How they respond reflects on them as a business. They can do everything possible to do as little as they can to rectify the situation, but if they choose to do so, then they deserve the negative repercussions of that.

originally posted by: Blaine91555
a reply to: shawmanfromny

Looks to me like Taco Bell did the only thing they could do. They fired them. I'm not for punishing a business for actions by employees the company had no part in. It's dishonest to blame Taco Bell.

The police though, need to charge them all with assault and follow through. Punishment is their job.

Yes, technically you are correct to a point. The Taco Bell, I think, did not train them to beat up customers. The Taco Bell however still holds some responsibility for the actions of their employees. When a semi truck driver hits someone, the company pays.

But it is not expected for Taco Bell to apologize and come up with whatever they think is a good enough dollar amount for an apology. There is a court procedure, it has to be hashed out by lawyers, witnesses, etc.

But we all know how differently SOCIETY'S reactions would be if it were the other way around, was mainly my point of my post, not that Taco Bell shouldve ponied up for a bigger gift card...

originally posted by: TheConstruKctionofLight
a reply to: shawmanfromny

...
What more should the Franchisor do, shut the branch down? Not going to happen - making too much money for them.

...

Establish official policy that franchisee's MUST cooperate fully with the police. In this case, provide the names of the employees that attacked these people. If they fail to comply, then cancel their contract.

2019 dilemma - Friend gets assaulted, what do you do:

a) help defend him from potentially permanent physical damage.
b) pull out a camera for litigation purposes.

originally posted by: Puppylove
a reply to: Blaine91555

It's not punishing the company for the actions of their employees but for how they responded to the actions of their employees. The offered a 20 dollar gift card and are refusing to cooperate in a complete legit assault case.

Had they assisted in the case and offered to pay his medical bills and a bit more to cover other expenses he might have from the incident then sure I'd agree.

Firing the employees is simply not enough. How they respond reflects on them as a business. They can do everything possible to do as little as they can to rectify the situation, but if they choose to do so, then they deserve the negative repercussions of that.

Yeah, this is right on the money. I'm just guessing they are confident that society (the parts who have a voice) doesnt care about white people at all so they can get away with it...