Dirty lettuce photo gets 3 Burger King workers fired

Someone anonymously posted the above picture on 4chan.org with the caption "this is the lettuce you eat at Burger King." / WOIO

(CBS/AP) MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio - Burger King says three workers were fired after a photo posted online appeared to show an employee stepping on lettuce in bins at a northwest Ohio restaurant.

The hamburger chain's statements to Ohio news outlets didn't directly confirm reports that the picture was taken at a restaurant in the Cleveland suburb of Mayfield Heights.

Burger King Corp. says the franchisee that runs the independently operated restaurant quickly investigated the matter, and three employees were terminated.

The company says it won't tolerate such violations of its strict procedures for safely handling food.

It didn't comment on the circumstances in which the photo was taken. News outlets say the picture was posted on the free-for-all website 4chan.org, and GPS data embedded in the photo led to the restaurant.

A screenshot obtained by CBS Cleveland affiliate WOIO shows how the computer-savvy sleuths -- who call themselves "anons," tracked down the restaurant's location.

"Enjoyed getting fired," posted one of the anonymous commentators, along with the address of the Burger King he or she tracked down.

Burger King Corp. is a unit of Burger King Worldwide Inc.

[bobnjersey]

[Dirty lettuce photo gets 3 Burger King workers fired]
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interesting.

a picture of what appears to be 'one' person standing on top of two bins of lettuce ... possibly (but not necessarily) taking the picture themselves.

so what's the deal w/ 'three' people getting fired?

[BlogZilla]

I knew there was a reason I hadn't eaten at fast food restaurants in 15 years. Also you should remember, those people are paid slave wages,so it's not like they actually care about their jobs.

[gnimelf1968]

You agree to take a job at a certain wage. NO ONE MAKES YOU TAKE A JOB. All employers deserve respect of their facility and customers.

[RichZubaty]

"GPS data embedded in the photo led to the restaurant." Think this through people.

[ForeverCapone]

Picture was taken with a mobile phone, mobile phones store gps data in exif files. It proved to be very useful in this case. So yes, think this through people.

[kanajune]

Why does anyone think they can hide behind anonymity in this day and age? There are NO secrets on line, fools!

[MIO42]

My cousin worked in the FF industry
Wouldn't eat in one though

[Bojax39]

If Americans really knew the filth level in our commercial food supply, we wouldn't be the most overweight nation in the world. :-)

[formerlyluvnut]

So so true!

[MojitoMamma]

Great reason for everybody to ditch the drive-through diet and mentality in exchange for a home-made meal with the family. I buy sandwiches at a mom 'n' pop deli where they make the orders in front of the customers, and I'll only go for pizza where I can watch the guy make it and put it in the oven. Otherwise I don't eat fast food at places where I can't see them make it, and this story proves that your food just might be adulterated with something, probably much more gross than somebody's shoe soles.

[cntrygirl3]

Another good reason to cook at home. Most of Burger Kings products have high fructose corn syrup, but then again so do most of the other fast food places. It is a miracle more people don't get sick

[ell510]

They do. They just blame it on something else.

[BlogZilla]

They are getting sick, but don't care and don't know what's causing them to get sick. People have not equated HFCS with something that is dangerous yet. They think it's just a normal food substance

[credibility2]

Glad the imbeciles got fired. Wonder if they're laughing now?

[formerlyluvnut]

They'll just go to Micky D's.

[retiredgustav]

Or Pizza Hut!

[formerlyluvnut]

You have young kids earning minimum wage getting treated like crap working in all these fast food joints; this happens ALL the time...people just don't know it. Hungry yet?!!!

[ultraskygod]

luckily, i don't eat at fast food joints

[Jaylah54200]

True. If people actually knew what went on "in the back" of these places, they'd never eat in any one of them again.

Food accidentally dropped on the floor and then just picked up and used. Not every fry-cook remembers to sneeze into his/her elbow.

And it isn't always just fast-food places, either.