Unbelievable Disrespect: Black Maryland Man’s Chick-fil-A Order Labeled “Monkeys”

In a shocking and deeply disturbing incident, a Black Maryland man experienced blatant racism when his Chick-fil-A to-go order was labeled with the word “Monkeys” instead of his actual name.

What should have been a simple dinner pickup on August 23rd turned into a moment that left Marquise Vanzego in disbelief.  The customer, a Black man from La Plata, says he heard an employee call out the offensive label.  Initially, he couldn’t believe his ears.  But as the worker confirmed that the order—chicken strips, fries, and a tea/lemonade mix—was indeed for the customer in a white van, Vanzego was overcome with a sinking feeling.

“Your heart has that little sting in it, like when you’re grieving or going through a breakup,” he explained to Today.

Vanzego wasted no time addressing the situation and speaking with the on-duty manager, who apologized and offered a refund. However, the restaurant’s management’s response fell far short of addressing the gravity of the situation.

Vanzego documented the entire ordeal, posting a now-viral Instagram post about his conversations with the manager.  Vanzego’s experience garnered significant attention, with many expressing support while others attempted to downplay the incident as a possible mistake.  Vanzego made it clear that there was no room for such excuses—he had placed his order directly with a young white male employee, not through an intercom system.

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A post shared by Marquise B Vanzego (@dcmetrocarpentry)

When Vanzego later spoke with the store owner, John Flatley, he was shocked once again.  Flatley offered an apology but refused to terminate the employee responsible, citing their age—just 17 years old.

“I understand, he’s young and still learning,” Vanzego acknowledged to Today, “but there are consequences when you do things like that.”

Vanzego remains hopeful that this incident will raise awareness and accountability, but the sting of that night still lingers. Chick-fil-A’s corporate office issued a statement distancing itself from the incident, but Vanzego has yet to receive a direct response from them.  The La Plata location’s management, meanwhile, has refused to comment further, leaving many questions unanswered as the chain faces another high-profile racist receipt scandal.