McDonald's viral TikTok: did the entire staff of this restaurant really quit at the same time?

La Mesa, California - A viral TikTok claimed the entire staff of a McDonald's had enough of their toxic work environment and decided to spontaneously quit. But did they?

The staff apparently left a note on the counter before leaving the restaurant.
The staff apparently left a note on the counter before leaving the restaurant.  © Bildmontage: 123rf/rumandawi & TikTok/Screenshot/zoey.isback

TikToker zoey.isback, who says she is one of the former employees, recorded the scenes and shared the video on her account, where it now has almost 14 million views.

The clip starts with a note pinned to the counter, seemingly warning future customers that this place is absolutely not worth the wait.

"Everyone quit, we are closed," it reads in large, black letters.

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The camera then pans to the back of the kitchen, to the ordering screens and the tables, showing a deserted restaurant.

"Well that happened today and it was so funny," Zoey wrote in the caption of the video and went straight to the comments to explain why the entire shift suddenly decided to leave.

"Y'all, we didn't quit from our pay," she stated. "The store was ran by teenagers and it was a terrible work space."

She went on to explain that the "higher ups" didn't care about their employees in the slightest, and that the work was left entirely to the youngsters.

Busted? TikTok video isn't telling the whole truth

Zoey panned the camera around to show her followers how empty the place was.
Zoey panned the camera around to show her followers how empty the place was.  © Bildmontage: TikTok/Screenshot/zoey.isback (2)

That sounds terrible – and a bit suspicious. Is this a case of embellishing the truth?

A spokesperson for McDonald's spoke to Newsweek and gave a very different account, insisting that the viral footage "misrepresents the events that unfolded."

While employees really did quit on June 27, it was not on short notice and, most importantly, it was definitely not all of them.

"On Sunday evening, two employees at this location resigned after previously providing the franchise organization with their two weeks' notice. All other employees continued to work their shifts."

The La Mesa restaurant located at 3781 Avocado Boulevard is apparently still "fully staffed and operational."

Although it sounds like a good story, this TikTok played a little fast and loose with the truth.

Cover photo: Bildmontage: 123rf/rumandawi & TikTok/Screenshot/zoey.isback

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