Police: Fired McDonald's worker to face charges over viral video

SOUTHBRIDGE – Charges are expected to be filed in connection with a video that showed a McDonald's employee shoving french fries in her mouth before possibly serving them to a customer, according to police.

Southbridge Police Chief Shane Woodson said in an email to the Telegram & Gazette that a female was expected to face charges slated to be filed at Dudley District Court Monday, May 18.

Woodson didn't identify the person facing charges or what charges she will face. No additional information will be released, said Woodson, until the defendant is arraigned at a date determined by the court.

The 14-second video that went viral online was videotaped at a McDonald's at 515 East Main St. It showed an employee twice putting fries in her mouth while on the job and placing them in a serving container held by another employee. The video did not show the fries being served to a customer.

Both employees were suspended and then fired for their actions after an internal investigation, according to the Sellia Group, which owns the McDonald's.

Woodson had previously said charges would be difficult to bring forward because authorities were having difficulty locating a customer who might have been served the fries.

The woman who put the food in her mouth was a manager at the restaurant, according to Daniel Wasiuk, the public health director in Southbridge. Wasiuk inspected the McDonald's after the investigation started and said he found no health code violations.  

The Sellia Group called the employees’ actions "unacceptable" and not a reflection of the organization's food-safety standards and values. 

Contact Henry Schwan at [email protected]. Follow him on X: @henrytelegram