Cinnabon Employee Fired After Viral "I Am Racist" Rant Against Muslim Customers
A Cinnabon staff member has gained notoriety following a racially charged rant directed at customers, which was captured on video and subsequently circulated widely online.
The footage does not depict the origin of the dispute, starting instead with the employee announcing, “I am racist.” While positioned behind the bakery counter, the staff member used a racial slur and made other derogatory comments toward the patrons. The video was uploaded to TikTok by a relative of the customers, who included a statement for the audience.
The overlaying text on the video requested, “Guys pls share this r@cist Karen! My cousin is traumatized! She started disrespecting her hijab after she asked [for] more [caramel] because she hardly put any …” The text also specified the incident took place at the Cinnabon branch located in Wisconsin’s Bay Park Mall.
The commentary beneath the video overwhelmingly criticized the employee's actions. One user commented, “It is … so much worse than I imagined,” while another stated, “I’m so grateful for the brave people that recorded this. Sometimes things like this in smaller towns go under the radar.”
Continue reading for further details on the viral Cinnabon controversy:
Details of the Cinnabon Customer Incident
The footage shows the employee addressing the camera directly and declaring, “I am racist and I will say that to the whole entire world. Don’t be disrespectful. … Bye.”
The employee then directed two middle fingers at the customers before making an obscene gesture and instructing them to “suck it.” She continued, “What the f is wrong with you, you fing ugly bitch? Get the f out of my face. Did I stutter?”
Cinnabon’s Official Response to the Viral Incident
The corporation released a statement within the TikTok comments thread. Cinnabon chose not to disclose the employee's name publicly.
“We’ve seen the disturbing video from the Cinnabon bakery in Ashwaubenon, WI, and we do not condone this behavior,” the statement read. “The former employee was immediately terminated by the franchise owner. Their actions do not reflect our values or the welcoming experience every guest deserves.”
Cinnabon subsequently issued an additional comment to the Associated Press: “Their actions and statements are completely unacceptable and in no way reflect the values of Cinnabon, our franchisees, or the welcoming environment we expect for every guest and team member.”
Identification of the Cinnabon Customers Involved in the Incident
According to CBS News, an online fundraiser established for the patrons identified them as a “Black Somali Muslim couple.” The couple reportedly experienced significant distress as a result of the event.
Identification of the Cinnabon Employee Involved in the Incident
Various news sources have named the employee as Crystal Wilsey. A GiveSendGo account was subsequently established on her behalf, featuring a description that states, “Meet Crystal: hardworking White mom doing her job at Cinnabon. Two Somali customers decide to make her shift hell with intimidation.”
The message continued, “Instead of banning the offenders and backing their employee, Cinnabon fires Crystal to keep the nons happy. We’re not letting this slide. Funds go to making sure Crystal lands on her feet after this betrayal. No White person should lose their job for refusing to be harassed by Somalians.”
Reactions and Commentary on the Viral Cinnabon Incident
Edward Ahmed Mitchell, the national deputy director of the Council of American-Islamic Relations, released a statement commenting on the occurrence.
Mitchell stated, in a quote reported by CBS News, “We welcome Cinnabon’s decision to hold this employee accountable for her vile and racist rant against Black Muslim customers. The fact that this employee felt comfortable calling a Black couple the n-word on camera is a sign of how acceptable anti-Black and anti-Somali racism has become. Our political leaders, including President Trump, must stop fomenting hatred against Americans of Somali descent.”
