Woman Who Threw a Burrito Bowl at Chipotle Staffer Was Just Sentenced to Working at a Fast Food Restaurant - Food & Wine

Rosemary Hayne, a 39-year-old woman from Ohio, just received perhaps the lightest sentencing possible after assaulting a Chipotle employee. 

On November 28, Judge Timothy Gilligan of Parma Municipal Court in Ohio ruled on Hayne’s case, noting just how obscene a crime it was. 

“You didn’t get your burrito bowl the way you like it, and this is how you respond?” Judge Gilligan said during the sentencing. “This is not ‘Real Housewives’ of Parma. This behavior is not acceptable.”

The entire real-life episode was filmed by a bystander who posted the video to Reddit, which meant that Judge Gilligan —and the rest of us— could see that the situation was just as messy as it sounds. (Note: It’s also expletive-filled, so this is NSFW.)

In the video, Hayne slams down her order on the counter while shouting at Russell for nearly a full minute, who stands on the opposite side of the counter and tries to reason with Hayne. Eventually, Hayne gets so worked up that she tosses the fully loaded bowl at Russell’s face as the rest of the room of diners gasps and, later, tries to intervene so Hayne can’t leave unpunished. 

Hayne and her fellow diner quickly rushed out of the restaurant after the incident. However, speedy Chipotle patrons captured Hayne’s license plate number and contacted the local police, who arrested Hayne at her home on September 5.

For her misdeeds, Hayne was initially ordered to pay a fine and serve 180 days in jail with 90 days suspended. Due to the unique nature of her crime, Judge Gilligan offered her an alternative option to reduce her jail time. If Hayne agreed to and followed through with working 20 hours per week at a fast-food restaurant for two months, she could reduce her time behind bars to 60 days. Hayne reportedly apologized to the court and to Russell, accepted the counteroffer, and will soon be standing behind a fast-food counter (whether it’s a Chipotle counter has yet to be determined).

As for Russell, the victim, she decided to resign from Chipotle and told Today that she is now dealing with symptoms of anxiety on the heels of the burrito blow. Russell wasn’t even initially involved with Hayne, by the way. As the manager on duty, she bravely stepped in after Hayne started yelling at a 17-year-old employee.

“We live in a world right now where she could have done anything she wanted. She could have punched me in my face or pulled a gun out. I’m lucky that I only got a bowl thrown on my face,” Russell reflected.

Both Chipotle and Russell confirm that they agree with Hayne’s adjusted sentence. 

“I just didn’t want her to get a slap on the wrist like anybody else and just walk away from it. She got exactly what she deserved. She’s gonna walk in my shoes,” Russell said. “You know, she’s working 20 hours a week. She’s lucky — I was working 65-hour weeks.”

Laurie Schalow, Chipotle’s chief corporate affairs officer, told Today, “The health and safety of our employees is our greatest priority, and we’re pleased to see justice served for any individual that does not treat our team members with the respect they deserve.”

Russell found a new job at a different fast-food restaurant and has received more than a few great tips after her experience. The bystander who filmed her assault and shared it on Reddit didn’t just post the video; she also started a GoFundMe titled “Support Emily.” As of December 5, it surpassed its $1,500 goal and stands at $1,902.

“I’m a very introverted person, and I like to keep to myself,” says Russell. “But I have never felt so loved and supported by my family and friends and from strangers across the United States.”

Plenty of Food & Wine editors have put in time at chain restaurants and affirm that everyone should work in the hospitality industry to witness the full buffet of humanity. Now, Hayne will join those ranks, and we’d guess that she might change the way she dines — and treats restaurant employees — after walking in their shoes, donning their aprons, and dealing with others who may be less than pleased with her burrito bowl building skills too. 

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Woman Who Threw a Burrito Bowl at Chipotle Staffer Was Just Sentenced to Working at a Fast Food Restaurant - Food & Wine
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