Fast-food worker attacked for refusing ‘free add-on’ to burger, Vancouver police say

A worker at a Downtown Vancouver fast-food eatery was allegedly punched in the face by an irate customer, who has since been charged with assault.

A fast-food cook was punched this week in downtown Vancouver after refusing to add free bacon to someone’s burger, according to police.

The 23-year-old victim was working at the Fatburger on Granville Street when he was confronted by an irate customer Monday night, authorities said.

Const. Megan Lui with the Vancouver Police Department said the employee tried to offer the customer a refund, but was unable to defuse the situation.

“The customer was still unhappy—walked to the back of the store, to the kitchen, punched him in the face and fled,” Lui said.

The cook suffered what authorities described as a “serious facial injury” that required medical attention.

The suspect was chased out of the restaurant by another employee then arrested by officers who happened to be in the area for an unrelated matter, police said.

Prosecutors have since approved one count of assault causing bodily harm against 24-year-old Jaxon Andre Carter, who was released on bail.

At the time of Monday’s incident, the young man was also on bail for another alleged assault last year in Coquitlam.

Metro Vancouver Transit Police allege Carter attacked a security guard at a bus loop in July, punching him multiple times in the face and head. He was charged with assault causing bodily harm in connection with that incident as well.

Carter was released two days before the Fatburger employee was attacked.

Ian Tostensen, president of the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association, said the incident suggests the city needs “to do more work in downtown Vancouver, in particular, to make sure it’s a bit safer for our workers.”

“To have some poor cook in a restaurant get hammered over something like that is unacceptable,” he said.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Shannon Paterson