Black Chick-Fil-A Worker ‘Angers’ Black Customers For “Tap Dancing” For White Customers

Black Chick-fil-A Worker Sparks Outrage for “Tap Dancing” for White Customers

Chick-fil-A is known for its “my pleasure” customer service, but this week, one employee’s extra-friendly treatment of certain customers has triggered a firestorm. Social media is ablaze after a video went viral showing a Black Chick-fil-A worker being exceptionally enthusiastic toward white customers—while allegedly giving Black customers a more rushed, indifferent experience.

The clip, recorded at an Atlanta location, shows the worker laughing, joking, and even doing a light-hearted dance for a white family. Moments later, the same worker greets two Black customers with a flat “what you want?”—no smile, no charm. The contrast was stark, and the internet wasted no time calling it out.

Critics labeled the behavior “tap dancing” and accused the worker of catering to white customers while dismissing members of their own community. “This is modern-day minstrel energy,” one user wrote. Another added, “We have to stop thinking white validation is the highest form of approval.”

Others, however, rushed to the worker’s defense, claiming the video was taken out of context. “You don’t know what kind of day they were having,” one commenter said. “Maybe they already knew those white customers personally.” Some even suggested the outrage was overblown and that people were “looking for reasons to be offended.”

Still, the incident has sparked a broader conversation about customer service bias—not just in fast food, but in retail and hospitality in general. Many Black customers have long complained about subtle differences in treatment based on race, tone, or even appearance.

The worker has not made a public statement, and Chick-fil-A’s corporate office has yet to comment on the video. But one thing is certain—this moment has reignited debates about internalized bias, code-switching, and the pressures some Black workers feel in predominantly white corporate environments.

The question remains: was this just an innocent misunderstanding, or a sign of a deeper problem?