COLUMBIA, SC – A Burger King employee in Columbia who gained widespread attention last month for single-handedly running an entire restaurant for 12 hours now says she’s been fired — a move that has stirred backlash and sparked a wave of public support.
Nykia Hamilton, a 25-year-old single mother of three, first went viral in July after a customer posted a video of her working alone at the fast-food chain due to a staffing crisis. The clip showed her juggling all responsibilities — from drive-thru and front counter to cooking and cleaning — without any help.
“She’s doing everything by herself,” the customer narrated. “She’s doing the fries, the burgers, the chicken sandwiches — everything she needs to do to make sure everybody is okay in here.”
Staff shortage pushed her to breaking point
Hamilton told WACH Fox 57 that the extreme situation was caused by a last-minute employee exit, leaving her to manage every task. “Had to do the dishes, do prep, do the floor, do the front counter, drive-thru,” she recounted emotionally…