Queenstown burger bar Fergburger dismisses employee after customer racially targeted

Queenstown’s iconic burger joint Fergburger has fired the employee involved in the incident where a customer was given a receipt containing a racial slur.

A friend of the customer posted the receipt, dated Sunday at 3.35pm, to social media on Monday afternoon.

They allege their friend did not give their name to the server, who named them on the receipt as “ching chang”.

The Fergburger receipt that was presented to the customer on Sunday. Photo / Supplied

Fergburger released a statement this afternoon saying the employee involved in the incident has been dismissed for their “unjustified behaviour”.

“While this cannot undo the incident or lessen the harm caused, Fergburger remains committed to addressing the situation thoroughly,” it read.

“This incident has been caused by a single individual whose actions are entirely inconsistent with Ferg’s values.”

The general manager has been in contact with the customer and has been providing updates since the incident, the statement said

“Our team is made up of employees from over 37 different countries, and we have always taken pride in fostering a warm and inclusive environment.

“In our 24 years of operation and through the employment of 3500 staff, we have never experienced an incident of this nature.”

The company said it would implement additional cultural sensitivity training to reinforce its commitment to inclusivity.

“As a company we are absolutely devastated by the incident and the impact it has had on so many people. These actions do not represent who we are or what we stand for.”

Fergburger is an iconic Queenstown eatery. Photo / Supplied

In an earlier statement, Fergburger released a public statement acknowledging a “recent incident involving inappropriate and insensitive labelling on a customer order”.

They said that upon learning of the incident, an internal investigation was launched.

“We have written to the customer to express our gratitude for their feedback, extend a sincere apology for the distress caused, and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that no customer experiences a similar situation at Fergburger.”

Fergburger extended its sincere apologies to the customer, and to anyone else who may have been hurt or offended.

“The behaviour displayed in this incident is completely unacceptable and does not reflect the values we uphold.”

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