GASTON COUNTY, NC — A Gaston County man was left with a bad taste in his mouth after recently visiting a Wendy’s in Gastonia.
It wasn’t the food that spoiled his experience, but a word that was typed on his receipt, shaming him for his weight.
It was around 8 p.m. on October 4, when Jimmy Shue stopped into Wendy's on E. Franklin Blvd in Gastonia. Shue said he walked up to the counter and ordered two sandwiches, one for his fiancé and one for himself.
“The girl asked me my name at the register, so I gave her my name clear as day, ‘Jimmy,’" Shue said. "She said, 'Okay, thank you,' handed me the ticket, and I didn’t pay no mind at first until looked down at it while I was waiting and saw it said ‘Chubby.’"
Shue said he was upset but ready to let it go. That’s when another employee came to the counter with his order called out the name on the ticket.
“He was hesitant to even say 'Chubby' but he did and I told him, ‘That’s not my name but that’s my order,’ and I grabbed the order and started to walk out because I was mad," Shue said. "Everybody started laughing in the restaurant, and I got really embarrassed."
Shue said he reached out to Wendy’s corporate who told him the store is franchised and locally-owned. They said they would try to put him in touch with someone who could help. Shue said the next person told him the situation had been "dealt with", but he wasn’t given an explanation of what that meant.
A customer service representative from Wendy’s corporate said they would reach out to the franchise’s general manager or owner. So far, the franchise has not commented.
Wendy’s customers we spoke to Monday were appalled.
“Why anybody would write 'Chubby' is just cruel,” one customer said while walking out. “I think they should make it right.”