A former Popeyes employee says she was fired after posting a TikTok video showing roaches scurrying across the restaurant’s surfaces where food and other items are placed.
Tykeia Ransom of Memphis says the manager of the Popeyes branch located at 4720 Showcase Blvd, Memphis, TN, knew about the roach infestation but chose to continue serving food anyway.
“I got fired for the previous video that I had recorded on TikTok she told WREG. “It’s very bad. It’s everywhere and all in the food you know and everything you can think of. All in the rice.”
She further stated that things went left when she addressed the situation to her boss.
“The [general manager] knew about it. It’s been a problem; you get what I’m saying? And when I tried to tell her about it, we got into it.”
Following Ransom’s interview with WREG, the news station contacted the fried chicken franchise’s corporate office. A representative responded stating that the former employee violated the terms of the company’s policy, but did acknowledge they would investigate how the roaches got there. They have since closed down the store location until the infestation is solved.
“Absolutely nothing about the condition of the restaurant in this video is acceptable,” a Popeyes representative told WREG. “Even though the Health Department visited yesterday and confirmed no issues at the restaurant located at 4720 Showcase Blvd, Memphis, TN, we shut it down, thoroughly cleaned and will not reopen until we understand what happened and team members have been retrained on proper procedures.”
Meanwhile, Ransom says she has no interest in returning back to work there.
“I don’t want my job back because that’s the rudest company I ever worked for.”
Over at Fox 13 Memphis, multiple customers informed the news outlet that they have frustrations of their own.
“They don’t worry about the customers like how they eat and what they eat. It’s all about money,” said Donald Ellis.
Fox 13 Memphis says they have attempted to contact the Shelby County Health Department, but their inquiries have been left unanswered.
Ransom has set up a GoFundMe to assist with expenses since being unemployed.
“I just need a little help to stay above water and provide food for my daughter until I can find another job,” Ransom wrote on the GoFundMe page. Make a donation here.
