At a Glance
- Paul’s Drive In posts thank-you message after customer allegedly threatened to kill staff on Jan. 7
- New Code of Conduct signage will be installed this week to reinforce workplace safety
- Co-owner Amanda Fulbright confirms legal steps continue; the customer remains unidentified and has not been formally trespassed
- Why it matters: The incident highlights growing violence against service workers and sparks local debate on customer behavior
A Kansas City, Missouri, drive-in is doubling down on employee protection after a refund dispute escalated into alleged death threats against staff, including a teenage worker.
Community Rallies Behind Paul’s Drive In
On Monday, Jan. 12, Paul’s Drive In shared an Instagram update thanking patrons for an “overwhelming” wave of support. The post, viewed thousands of times within hours, stated: “This week reminded us just how much community matters. We’ve been overwhelmed by the kindness, support, and encouragement shown to our team. Thank you.”
Management added that the business remains “proud of our team, grateful for our community, and committed to standing by our people-always.”
The show of solidarity follows an incident four nights earlier at the Blue Ridge Boulevard location. According to co-owner Amanda Fulbright, a customer requesting a refund became verbally aggressive while the refund was already being processed. Security footage captured the encounter, but the restaurant will not release it, citing a desire to protect staff rather than publicly shame the individual.
Incident Details and Legal Response
Fulbright emphasized that the conflict went far beyond a routine service complaint.
“We want to be very clear: this is not about a refund or a disagreement over food,” she told local station KCTV. “Those situations happen in the service industry, and we work hard to resolve them calmly and fairly every day. What crossed the line, and what makes this incident especially concerning, were threats of violence that escalated to death threats directed at our employees.”
Key timeline of events:
- Evening of Jan. 7: Customer requests refund; staff begin processing it
- Customer becomes verbally aggressive
- Alleged explicit death threats are made toward employees
- Management completes transaction and has individual removed from property
- Restaurant contacts law enforcement; security cameras record full interaction
Fulbright told KY3 that while police have been notified, the customer has not yet been formally trespassed because they have not been identified. The business is “continuing to work through appropriate legal channels.”
News Of Losangeles reached out to Paul’s Drive In for additional comment but did not receive an immediate response.
New Safety Measures and Industry Concerns
The restaurant announced that new in-store Code of Conduct signage will be installed this week. The signs will outline expectations for respectful behavior toward both staff and customers, reinforcing what management calls “long-standing values around respect, kindness and safety in the workplace.”
In a prior social media statement, Paul’s Drive In drew a hard line on the alleged threats: “Let us be absolutely clear: Threatening violence over a food order is not acceptable. Ever. It is not ‘passion.’ It is not ‘frustration.’ It is assault under Missouri law.”
The establishment has permanently banned the customer involved.
Fulbright framed the reaction as part of a wider issue, telling KY3 that violence toward service workers is increasing. By speaking out, the restaurant hopes to reinforce that “kindness and basic decency are non-negotiable.”
Support and Next Steps
Community members flooded the latest Instagram post with messages of encouragement and calls for stronger protections for frontline staff. Several patrons pledged to visit the drive-in more frequently, while others suggested local legislators introduce tougher penalties for threatening hospitality workers.
Management reiterated gratitude for the support and confirmed that legal consultations remain underway. Until the individual is identified, Paul’s Drive In will rely on heightened vigilance, updated signage, and continued cooperation with law enforcement to safeguard employees.
The restaurant ended its Jan. 12 message on a resolute note: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the kindness… Thank you.”
