What began as a routine evening shift at a Memphis Arby’s quickly spiraled into chaos when Kendra Irvin found herself face-to-face with an angry customer hurling racial slurs. The confrontation, captured on video, shows Irvin wielding a frying basket and spatula to defend herself as the customer climbed over the counter, prompting a heated exchange. Days later, she was fired for what Arby’s described as a violation of company policy.
The January 20 incident started when a white male customer ordered a roast beef sandwich and reportedly expressed confusion over the options available. Irvin, a three-year employee of the chain, explained the choices but said the man brushed off her question, only to later complain that the staff had gotten his order wrong. What began as a simple disagreement over a meal escalated into a volatile confrontation involving racial insults and thrown objects.
Bystander footage shows the customer jumping over the counter and lunging toward Irvin while shouting obscenities. In response, Irvin is seen using kitchen tools to defend herself, yelling at him to leave as he continued throwing items before eventually fleeing. “I was trying to keep the peace,” Irvin later said, explaining that she initially offered to remake his meal. When the situation escalated, she acted instinctively to protect herself and her coworkers.
Police arrived at the North Germantown Parkway location and filed an affidavit, but no arrests were made. The incident, which went viral online, has sparked discussions on how employees in public-facing roles are treated and the policies governing self-defense in the workplace. Irvin’s termination has drawn criticism, with some questioning why the company penalized her instead of supporting her actions to defuse a dangerous situation.
Speaking to FOX 13, Irvin expressed frustration over her dismissal. “They said I violated a policy. I guess I wasn’t supposed to protect myself,” she said. “What would you have done if someone did that to you?” While the customer involved walked free, Irvin is determined to set the record straight, viewing the incident as part of a larger conversation about the rights of employees to defend themselves against workplace threats.
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