La Plata Chick-fil-A under scrutiny for receipt name

La Plata’s Chick-fil-A has become the center of national backlash after a man noticed his name was entered as “Monkeys,” which can be used as a racist slur, when he placed his order.

Marquise Vanzego, a 52-year-old African American man, took to social media after receiving the receipt to share his outrage with a letter to Chick-fil-A’s CEO, Andrew Truett Cathy.

“On this past Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at approximately 8 p.m., I placed an order through the drive-thru, speaking directly to a young white male. When I reached the pickup window and received my food and drink, I was shocked to see that the label on my order read ‘Monkeys’ instead of my name, ‘Marquise’ which I had clearly communicated to the drive-through team member,” Vanzego said in his open letter.

A reposting of the receipt on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, has garnered 17 million views and 89,000 likes as of the evening of Aug. 29. Two videos that Vanzego posted on Facebook of him confronting employees have gathered a total of over 100,000 views together.

“This manager also reached in my van and pulled the label off my bag which was evidence to prove the racial name given to me by the young man that took my order and further stated that she would issue a refund for what she called an inconvenience,” Vanzego alleged. “This racist and derogatory labeling is not only deeply offensive but also humiliating as a 52-year-old African American adult male.”

“Situations such as this, we are never happy about,” Dyotha Sweat, president of the Charles County NAACP, said in a phone call with Southern Maryland News.

Sweat said that the NAACP had sent a representative to the restaurant to inquire about what had happened, but the manager on-site said that they were not at liberty to discuss the incident.

The NAACP was referred to corporate Chick-fil-A who “profusely apologized,” Sweat said. However, as of Thursday evening, the NAACP has yet to hear back from John Flatley, the store’s owner.

“This is very interesting, Chick-fil-A is the only franchise where you interact with a person at the drive-thru,” Sweat said. “The word ‘monkeys’ can’t possibly be someone’s name.”

According to Vanzego’s letter, he had allegedly spoken to Flatley. By Vanzego’s account, Flatley declined to terminate the 17-year-old employee who took the name and said that the employee believed that was the name that was given.

“You’d think they ask for clarity or spelling,” Sweat said.

Sweat said that the NAACP is not trying to pour gasoline on issues like these, but instead wants to help put the issue out.

Southern Maryland News reached out to Vanzego on the afternoon of Aug. 29 and is awaiting a response.