Rogers Park

Video Shows Former Chicago Popeye's Employee Vandalize Restaurant During Pay Dispute

NBC Universal, Inc.

A viral video surfaced this week showing a Chicago Popeye's employee vandalizing a restaurant amid a dispute over pay with store management, as Chicago police are investigating.

The video, which was posted to TikTok, displays text that reads, "this is what happens when you don't get paid for a month," and shows an employee dumping chicken and other food on the floor throughout the restaurant's kitchen.

According to Chicago police, the incident occurred at a Rogers Park Popeye's location in the 1900 block of West Howard Street on April 24.

Police said that a 22-year-old woman reported that a former restaurant employee was told there was a problem with his paychecks, and that he would be paid at a later date.

At this point, police said the man revealed a knife, and began destroying computer and food products throughout the restaurant before taking an unknown amount of money before fleeing the scene.

A statement from Popeye's claimed the pay dispute stemmed from the former employee never providing his direct deposit information, with the store refusing to pay the employee in cash.

"This employee failed to provide his required banking information and therefore could not be paid via direct deposit until he did so. When he was told that he could not be paid in cash, he proceeded to vandalize the restaurant.  His behavior is obviously totally unacceptable. The restaurant franchisee has since paid him in full, terminated his employment and contacted the police," the statement said.

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