Video Prank at Domino's Taints Brand

(topic overview)
CONTENTS:

CONOVER, N.C. -- Conover police have charged two former Domino's Pizza workers with contaminating food distributed to the public. (More...)
With just the comments that I've read here, I don't like seeing some of you leaving Dominos. (More...)
Comments from YouTube users have ranged from "i eat that crap?" to "pizza hut have done the same thing as well." suggesting brand damage may touch industry rivals as well. (More...)
Two readers of the blog Consumerist used a small number of clues to pinpoint the store's location in the U.S. state of North Carolina and alerted Domino's headquarters. (More...)

SOURCES

FIND OUT MORE ON THIS SUBJECT

CONOVER, N.C. -- Conover police have charged two former Domino's Pizza workers with contaminating food distributed to the public. That's the same charge that covers people who taint Halloween candy. Kristy Hammonds Thompson and Michael Setzer were fired after the franchise's corporate office was alerted late Monday to videos posted on YouTube that show an employee playing with food, sticking cheese up his nose before putting it on a sandwich, sneezing on a meal and worse. A corporate spokesman said Thompson told him the videos were a prank and that the food was not actually served to customers. Setzer posted bond around 6 p.m. Wednesday and he said "no comment" as he left jail. [1] CONOVER, N.C. -- Two local Domino's Pizza employees have been fired and could face criminal charges after what they call a prank ended up on the Internet. The employees, who have only been identified by their first names -- Michael and Kristy -- in a Domino's corporate press release, worked at a restaurant in Conover. Videos posted on YouTube show the male worker sticking ingredients up his nose and sneezing on food.[2] They've been fired and Domino's is now considering criminal charges and a civil lawsuit for a disgusting video now published online that shows food being tampered with at a Conover pizza place. The employees, who have only been identified by their first names -- Michael and Kristy -- in a Domino's corporate press release, worked at a restaurant in Conover. Videos posted on YouTube show the male worker sticking ingredients up his nose and sneezing on food.[3]

CONOVER, N.C., April 15 (UPI) -- Domino's Pizza said two employees at a North Carolina location have been fired after they posted a video online that depicted them sneezing on food. The company said the employees, who identified themselves in the video as Kristy and Michael, were fired from the store in Conover after they posted a video to YouTube that purported to show how Domino's pizzas are made, the Charlotte (N.C.)[4] Two employees of a Catawba County pizza restaurant have been fired and face possible legal action after the pair produced a YouTube video that. well, wasn't exactly appetizing. The two, whose identities have not been released but go by the names of Kristy and Michael in the video, said they were employees at a Domino's Pizza establishment in Conover -- until the video surfaced on the Internet, that is. Now they have been fired, the company says.[5] The video comes from a Domino's Pizza in Conover. "This is our special Italian Sandwich," says a woman who calls herself "Kristy" on a YouTube video. The man in the video named Michael puts cheese in his nose and then on a Domino's sandwich. He also fakes a sneeze, but breathes all over the sandwiches. "Did you all see that? He just blew a booger on those sandwiches," Kristy says. Michael touches it as if burying what came out of his nose. They joke about "booger bread" and say if they ever opened their own restaurant, it would be shut down within 24 hours. "He just farted on salami that goes on these sandwiches and in about five minutes they will be sent on delivery where somebody is going to be eating these," Kristy said. It gets worse. Michael grabs a sponge and pulls his pants down, wipes himself and then washes dishes. In an e-mail to Domino's, Kristy claims it was a prank, saying that if it was real she never would have put it on YouTube, and adds they never served the food they messed with. That's not what she says on the tape. She admits being immature and apologizes for hurting the company.[6]

A videotaped shot of fired Domino's worker 'Michael' stuffing cheese up his nose, which he then puts on food he's preparing. He and camerawoman 'Kristy' now face criminal charges. Domino's Pizza says there is a warrant out for the arrest of two fired North Carolina employees who videotaped themselves passing gas on salami, stuffing cheese up their nostrils then using the foul fixins' in the fast food. The silly-yet-stomach-turning clips which also showed the workers sneezing and blowing their noses on meals they were handling were filmed at a Conover, N.C., Domino's and posted on YouTube.[7] While Domino'''s has said the food was never actually served the pizza chain has said a warrant has been issued for the arrest of '''Michael''' and '''Kristy,''' the two Conover, North Carolina employees who actually videotaped the ritual. The two were seen sticking cheese up their nose, sneezing on food, passing gas on salami and several other crude acts that drew public outrage after the video surfaced. Both '''Michael''' and '''Kristy''' were fired from their store but now Domino'''s appears set to file a civil lawsuit against the two after revealing they were '''not in a forgive-and-forget mood.'''[8] Two Domino's pizza employees at a store in Conover, North Carolina are now unemployed after one of them posted video of another sneezing on food and shoving it up his nose. The video shows a man sticking cheese up his nose, and then putting it on a pizza. Another video shows the same employee sneezing and spitting on sandwiches.[9] Conover, NC -- Two employees at a Domino's in Conover are without a job after one employee posted video of another sneezing on food and sticking it up his nose. The video shows a guy stuffing cheese up his nose, and then putting it on a pizza. Another video shows the same employee sneezing and spitting on sandwiches. He also takes a sponge, rubs its on his bare backside and uses it to scrub the dishes. "We are shocked, appalled, disgusted and angry about the behavior of these two errant individuals. Their display does not reflect the attitudes and behaviors of 125,000 hard-working men and women across the country and in 60 countries around the world. While they work for an independent - and innocent - franchise owner in North Carolina, we expect their employment to be terminated and we are reviewing our legal options as well."[10]

Two Dominos employees in North Carolina have been fired after posting a video of themselves on YouTube showing them mishandling food. They claim it was just a prank but a Dominos spokesperson said they are appalled at the actions of the two former employees. The video shows an employee putting cheese in his nose and faking a sneeze, causing the cheese to end up on a sandwich. The narrator of the video says, "Did you all see that? He just blew a booger on those sandwiches' To be served to some unlucky customer that's in need of some snot."[11] Domino's Pizza says it has fired two U.S. employees who posted videos online of themselves behaving "inappropriately". Domino's added that the affected franchisee had filed a criminal complaint against them and there were warrants for their arrest. One of the videos, viewed on YouTube, appeared to show a staff member putting cheese up his nose and breaking wind on salami while preparing food.[12] Dominos pizza has been at the centre of a social media storm since the staff at a Dominos drive thru in the U.S. posted videos of themselves on YouTube that showed them doing disgusting things to the pizzas they were making. While the pair, who call themselves Kirsty and Michael, get up to high jinks while making food for customers, including farting on a sandwich and putting cheese up his nose, the fast-food pizza company has been caught in a PR disaster of huge proportions. The two members of staff have been fired and may also face trail as police have issued a warrant for their arrest. The saga provides a cautionary tale for both the amateur film-makers, who may well face prison, but also for the pizza company that has to limit the damage to its brand. before its too late. It has acted swiftly, but even that may be too late.[13]

The saga of Kristy and Michael, the two (former) Domino's employees whose on-the-job shenanigans made it to YouTube earlier this week, continues. Now there are warrants out for their arrests, and Domino's says it plans to sue them. Seriously, if you work in the food industry and are nursing some grudges, just. try to hold them in until you can find a job better suited to you. Domino's has even issued its own YouTube video from Patrick Doyle, the pizza chain's President. Just note that the "members of the online community" that he thanks are all Consumerist readers--they're the ones who did the detective work for the company.[14] The prank video by "Michael" and "Kristy" was posted in YouTube Monday and one version has received nearly 730,000 hits. It shows Michael stuffing a cheese up his nostril and passing gas on a salami before putting the ingredients on a pair of sandwiches. On its corporate website, Domino's Pizza said the two people overshadowed the hard work of its 125,000 employees in the U.S. and overseas.[15]

"Once we saw the nature of the videos, it became a joint investigation with us and the Catawba County Health Department," Lafone said. As authorities investigated Tuesday afternoon, the department got a call from Domino's saying they'd identified the employees in the video and would like to help with the investigation, LaFone said. WCNC-TV, the Observer's news partner, said Hammonds sent an e-mail to Domino's officials, saying it was a prank and that she and Michael never would prepare food that way - in contrast to what they showed on the video. Domino's officials sent out a news release that said, "We are appalled by the actions of these individuals and they do not represent the 125,000 hard-working men and women of Domino's Pizza across the country and in 60 countries around the world."[16] Catawba County health inspection records show the Domino's in Conover, on 10th Street N.W., has a very good sanitation rating -- 96.5. Its last four inspections have produced scores ranging from 95.5 to 97.5. NewsChannel 36, the Observer's news partner, said Kristy sent an email to Domino's officials, saying it was a prank and that she and Michael never would prepare food that way -- in contrast to what they said on the video. Domino's officials responded to the video Tuesday, sending out a news release that said, "We are appalled by the actions of these individuals and they do not represent the 125,000 hard-working men and women of Domino's Pizza across the country and in 60 countries around the world."[5]

Domino's issued a statement. It reads: "We are appalled by the actions of these individuals and they do not represent the 125,000 hard-working men and women of Domino's Pizza across the country and in 60 countries around the world." The company also said it is "pursuing criminal and legal actions against them." Below is the e-mail allegedly sent to Domino's Pizza by the female employee who taped her co-worker. "I am sorry about all of this! It was all a prank and me nor Michael expected to have this much attention from the videos that were uploaded! No food was ever sent out to any customer.[17] A statement from Domino's Pizza indicated it will also pursue criminal and legal action against the two. "As you can imagine, we are appalled by the actions of these individuals and they do not represent the 125,000 hard-working men and women of Domino's Pizza across the country and in 60 countries around the world," the statement said. The company indicated that the former employees confessed to a prank, and they claimed the food was not served to customers.[18]

Domino's Pizza spokesman Tim McIntyre said the employees told the company the video was a hoax, and the food was not delivered to any customers. "The positive thing about this, if there is one, is that the vast majority of people see this for what it is, which is two idiots with a Web cam," McIntyre said.[19] CONOVER, N.C. (NBC) -- Two North Carolina Domino's Pizza employees have been fired after posting a video showing them doing disgusting things to customers' food on YouTube. Domino's is now considering criminal charges and a civil lawsuit against them.[6] Two Domino's Pizza employees in North Carolina have been fired and arrested after posting videos of themselves contaminating kitchen cleaning implements as well as customers' food.[20] Two Domino's Pizza employees in North Carolina were fired this week after a video surfaced on YouTube showing one of them apparently tampering with a sandwich set to be delivered to a customer.[21] Two Domino's Pizza employees in Catawba County have been fired after a video was posted on YouTube showing one of them putting cheese in his nostril and waving meat under his rear end while assembling a sandwich.[17] CONOVER, N.C. -- Two Domino'''s Pizza employees were fired and could face criminal charges after a disgusting prank that was posted on YouTube.com. An employee of the Catawba County restaurant is seen putting cheese in his nose and then placing it on customer's food for a delivery order.[22] After some sleuthing by readers of The Consumerist, two Domino's employees who did dirty things with customers' food in the back room and posted their pranks on YouTube, were fired. The workers who identified themselves as Kristy and Michael, claimed that the food they passed gas on, and the cheese Michael put up his nose, were never served to customers, and that it was all just a prank.[23] Two Domino's employees have released a series of YouTube videos in which they playfully molest food products before allegedly passing them on to customers. In the most recent video posted on YouTube, "Michael" one member of the duo inserts cheese into his nose and waves salami over his backside before placing both ingredients on a pair of sandwiches.[24] YouTube videos of two American employees calling themselves Kirsty and Michael appeared online on Tuesday. It seemingly shows the male staffer passing wind on a sandwich and putting cheese up his nose. They claim in the video the food would be served to customers.[25] Two employees from global pizza chain Domino's have been sacked after posting footage of their unhygienic backroom antics on YouTube. In the series of online videos, a female Domino's employee films her male co-worker blowing snot onto pizzas, farting on salami and rubbing cleaning implements between his buttocks. "This is my special Italian sandwich," the male employee says at one point, before sticking a piece of cheese up his nose and placing it on what appears to be a customer's order. In another video, entitled "Poopie Dishes", the same employee drops his shorts, aggressively wipes a cloth between his buttocks and uses it to wash a pizza pan.[26]

Blog post: You may have heard that the controversy du jour yesterday involved this video, posted on YouTube, in which two Domino's employees do things like put cheese in their noses first before placing it on the pizza. (I was too disgusted to watch the whole thin. 2. Blog post: Michael Arrington, famed founder of the TechCrunch blog, wanted something he couldn't buy (horrors!), so he decided to build it himself.[27]

Domino's was notified and the workers were quickly sacked. The work in finding the workers was much like people helping to return lost things, such as cameras, by finding the owners online, as the New York Times wrote about recently. All of this makes the Internet a small world, especially if you post a video of a co-worker putting food up their nose.[23] News & Observer reported Wednesday. The video featured footage of the two workers engaging in unsanitary practices including picking their noses and sneezing on food. The employee who used the name Kristy said in an e-mail to Domino's bosses that the video was a joke and the employees would never engage in those behaviors while preparing food for customers.[4] Tim McIntyre, vice president of communication for Domino's, said the workers were identified late Monday. He said they confessed to filming what they called a prank and said none of the food was served to customers. One video even shows the male employee wiping his buttocks with a sponge inside the kitchen.[2]

The video shows the cheese put in one employee's nose ending up on a sandwich. It also shows him pretending to "blow a booger" on those sandwich, according to the other employee videotaping him. The two joke about "Booger Bread" and say if they ever opened their own restaurant, it would be shut down within 24 hours. The girl taping says the other employee "just farted on salami that goes on these sandwiches." The video gets worse, when the employee making the sandwiches pulls his pants down, wipes himself with a sponge and then washes dishes. The female employee says it was a prank, that if it was real she would have never put it on youtube.com and says they never served the food they messed with. On the tape, she talks about the unlucky customers going to get the food.[17] Conover, NC (AHN) - Employees putting bad cheese and salami on a sandwich was not funny for a pizza store about to deliver that food to a customer even if it was a prank shown on YouTube.[15] CONOVER, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say two Domino's Pizza workers in North Carolina each face a felony charge after a video posted on YouTube showed one of them putting cheese in his nostril and waving meat under his rear end while assembling a sandwich.[28] Ann Arbor-based Domino's Pizza is considering legal action against two ex-employees in North Carolina after a video surfaced this week on YouTube showing one putting cheese in his nostril and waving meat under his backside while making a sandwich.[19]

Thanks to sites like YouTube, even local pranks can now generate national newsespecially if you happen to be a Domino's Pizza employee who shoots a video about farting on the salami. (No, that's not a euphemism for something else; the video really does feature farting onto a salami.)[29] CONOVER, N.C. -- Police in Conover, N.C., have issued arrests warrants for two former Domino's Pizza employees after a video was posted online showing one of them sticking ingredients up his nose and sneezing on food.[18] An online manhunt has led to the firing and arrest of two Domino's Pizza employees after they published videos of themselves on the web fouling up customers' food.[30]

"In the last 24 hours, videos of two of Domino'''s Pizza employees appearing inappropriately within one of our franchise restaurants have been circulating online. Since the videos first surfaced yesterday, the two workers have been identified, fired and the affected franchisee has filed a criminal complaint against them, and there are warrants for their arrest.[31] Two exhibitionist Domino's Pizza laborers who uploaded incriminating videos on Monday have been swiftly brought to justice. Kristy and Michael, deemed "not-that-bright idiots" by The Consumerist, have been fired after online sleuths tracked the location of their place of employment. Both workers created a series of amateur videos in which they performed a variety of insalubrious tasks, including sneezing on garlic bread and inserting vegetables in their noses.[32] The video - viewed heavily on YouTube before it was removed Wednesday - is designed as a description of how Domino's pizzas are made. There's a twist: It shows workers picking their noses, sneezing on food and worse. At one point, the woman in the video announces: "Did you all see that? He just blew a booger on those sandwiches."[16] However there is a dark side to it that can have consequences for brands large and small. The best illustration is a viral (in so many senses of the word) video that'''s making the rounds today and which rightfully cost two morons at a local Domino’s Pizza their jobs. For those of you who do not want to see what happens suffice to say that their conception of food prep is not up to acceptable standards. Shortly after these two valedictorians uploaded their video to YouTube, it began making the rounds ''' embedding itself in the increasingly interlinked web that binds one social media site to another. I first saw it on Facebook, but I could easily have been on Twitter or YouTube or - and this is where Search 3.0 comes in ''' increasingly I could have found it on a search engine.[33]

The company considers each viewing of the video to be damaging to the Domino's Pizza brand, McIntyre said. To fight back, Domino's posted a video of its own on YouTube Wednesday, where Domino's U.S. President Patrick Doyle apologized to customers and said the company is re-examining hiring practices. "We are absolutely 100 percent going after these people," McIntyre said. "Our brand is far too valuable to let these guys try to ruin it all in the guise of a hoax."[19] All, caught on video by the narrator and co-worker at a Dominos, and then purposely posted on the Internet. They joke about booger bread and say if they ever opened their own restaurant it would be shut down within 24 hours. The voice from the video says, "He just farted on salami that goes on these sandwiches." The man also grabs a sponge and pulls his pants down, wipes himself then washes dishes. In an email to Dominos, one of people in the video claims it was a prank, and that if it were real she never would have put it on YouTube. She also said they never served the food they messed with. That's not what she says on the tape. She admits being immature and apologizes for hurting the company.[11] Domino's spokesman Tim McIntyre responded by saying the company had fired the two employees and was looking at the possibility of legal action. "The 'challenge' that comes with the freedom of the internet is that any idiot with a camera and an internet link can do stuff like this - and ruin the reputation of a brand that's nearly 50 years old," Mr McIntyre wrote. The rogue employees removed the videos from YouTube yesterday, but other users swiftly reposted them, ensuring they remained in viral circulation.[26] The company axed the staff members in North Carolina, U.S., immediately after pinpointing the store's location when the videos were posted on blogs yesterday and Monday. Domino's spokesman Tim McIntyre warned: "Any idiot with a camera and an internet link can do stuff like this -- and ruin the reputation of a brand that's nearly 50 years old." The rogue employees removed the videos from YouTube yesterday, but other users reposted them.[34]

Patrick Doyle, president of the chain's domestic operations, in the clip below described the antics that took place at a Domino's in North Carolina as an "isolated incident." Doyle said he was "sickened" by "the actions of two individuals" in the company's employ and he stressed Domino's commitment to winning back the trust of the public. Doyle said Domino's would review its hiring practices to make sure such behavior doesn't happen in the future and he thanked the online community for its support. The store in question, he said, is being thoroughly sanitized. The YouTube clip of the employees is no longer available due to a copyright claim. AdFreak covered the incident yesterday ]] AdFreak covered the incident yesterday, with Adweek digital editor Brian Morrissey wryly musing: "This is not Abu Ghraib, but it's sure to strike a chord.[35]

I said gay. "Whoever knew a gay man would stick cheese in his nose?" says Michael. Domino's have apologised and while the two staff members have said it was a hoax, the company says it's taking it seriously, shutting down the store in question and completely sanitising it. Online videos like these are lifting the lid on some pretty scary food preparation practices. In 2008 three teenagers were fired from KFC after video footage on Myspace saw them bathing in a kitchen basin.[20] The man in the video named Michael puts cheese in his nose and then on a Domino's sandwich. He also fakes a sneeze, but breathes all over the sandwiches, reports News Channel 36. They have the video here. Kristy sent an email to Domino's officials, saying it was a prank and that she and Michael never would prepare food that way -- in contrast to what they said on the video.[3] The youths, identifying themselves as Kristy and Michael, stand accused of besmirching the pizza chain's reputation. Michael inserts pieces of cheese into his nose and waves pieces of salami behind his backside, the food is then placed on the sandwiches. "In about five minutes these will be sent out and somebody will be eating these - yes, eating these," Kristy says in the video. "And little do they know that the cheese was in his nose and that there was some lethal gas that ended up on their salami.[36]

There were five videos posted to YouTube. Many versions of the clips, which quickly spread virally, have been removed from the site, but they are being republished all over the web. In one, Michael farts on a piece of salami before putting it on someone's sandwich, blows his nose in it and puts individual pieces of grated cheese used to make the sandwich up his nose. "In about five minutes it'll be sent out on delivery where somebody will be eating these, yes, eating them, and little did they know that cheese was in his nose and that there was some lethal gas that ended up on their salami," Kristy says.[30] Five videos were originally posted to Youtube. They've since been removed, but given the fluid nature of information published on the internet, they've since surfaced elsewhere. You can watch them in full here. One video depicts staff member Michael farting on salami and then putting it on a sandwich, which he later blows his nose on. He also puts grated cheese up his nose, and then puts it on a customer's order. Another video shows Michael wiping his butt with a washcloth which he then uses to clean a dirty pan.[20]

Hammonds is a registered sex offender in Alexander County. YouTube video shows Setzer sticking cheese up his nose then putting it on a pizza. Another shows him sneezing on cheese sticks and spitting on sandwiches.[37]

As cooking videos go, this was a recipe for trouble. Two employees of a Catawba County pizza restaurant have been fired and charged with a felony after they produced a stomach-turning YouTube video that involves nose-picking and food preparation.[16] The Domino's Pizza branch in Conover, North Carolina has not only fired two employees responsible for the damaging two-and-half minute video but has filed a criminal complaint against the pranksters, who have been ordered arrested by a court.[15] Ann Arbor-based Domino's Pizza said the franchisee that owns the store where it occurred filed a criminal complaint against the employees. They also were fired, the company said. Eric Farr, a spokesman for the Catawba County District Attorney's Office, confirmed there's an ongoing investigation into the incident but said he couldn't comment further.[21]

Readers of the Consumerist.com website found the location of the store after conducting a Google search on the YouTube username used to post the video clips. They informed Domino's headquarters, which promptly fired the two employees and said in a statement that it had filed a criminal complaint against them and there were warrants out for their arrest.[30] The rest have been curated by As Good As You, a blog that covered the incident. According to spokesman Tim McIntyre of Domino's, the employees were identified and promptly terminated. (Indeed, the YouTube video that stirred the tempest has been updated with hovering text that reads, "They have been fired.") The franchise at which they worked has also filed a criminal complaint; Domino's itself is contemplating civil action for brand defamation.[24]

What a difference a day can make. After a blogosphere firestorm, the video went from 20,000 views on YouTube to 760,000, the errant employees have been fired and warrants were issued for their arrest. Domino's has also posted a statement on its corporate Web site.[38]

DOMINO'S have sacked two pizza chefs after they posted footage of their filthy backroom antics on YouTube. In a series of online videos, a female Domino's employee films her male co-worker blowing snot on to pizzas. He also farts on salami and rubs cleaning implements between his buttocks.[34] A day after a Web video showing two Domino's employees apparently defacing its food, the pizza chain was looking for a reasoned response. Domino's had located the employees and was examining its legal options, but was trying to stay below the radar.[38] The ordeal is narrated by another employee. One of the employees involved claimed it was only a prank and that they never served the food they apparently tainted. She apologized for her actions. Domino'''s issued a statement saying, "We are appalled by the actions of these individuals and they do not represent the 125,000 hard working men and women of Domino's Pizza.'''[22] Domino's officials said in a news release Tuesday that the two employees have been fired. "We are appalled by the actions of these individuals and they do not represent the 125,000 hard-working men and women of Domino's Pizza across the country and in 60 countries around the world," the release stated.[4]

Tim McIntyre, spokesman for Ann Arbor-based Domino's Pizza Inc., said Wednesday the "idiots" were fired, criminal charges for food tampering are being pressed and the company is considering a civil action.[17] Conover, NC -- Two Domino's Pizza workers caught on tape allegedly tampering food, now face felony charges.[37] Ann Arbor-based Domino's Pizza ( DPZ - news - people ) Inc. says in a statement the two workers have been fired, and arrest warrants have been issued for them after the franchise filed a criminal complaint.[39] By 5 p.m. Wednesday, one version had more than 930,000 views - but it was removed from YouTube later in the evening. Domino's Pizza Inc. may file a civil lawsuit against the workers, who were fired this week, a spokesman said.[19]

The Charlotte News Observer adds that the video, which is getting heavy attention by YouTube regulars, is designed as a description of how Domino's pizzas are made.[3] BOSTON Facing a social-media firestorm after a video surfaced of Domino's Pizza employees apparently acting in a highly unhygienic manner, the company's president late Wednesday issued an apology.[35] Case in point: a video showing Domino's Pizza employees fake-farting on the salami.[29]

Domino's said that the employees involved viewed the video as a prank and the food was never delivered.[12] For your information juvenile fast food employees have been tampering with the food since fast food was invented. It's two individuals and they have been dealt with immediately, end of story. I don't think you can blame Dominos for this, and it is especially naive to stereotype generation Y people for this prank Alastair Yates.[36] I am fortunate to have the time and resources not to have to. The real sin of the repulsive duo in the Domino's video is that many, many people in this particularly trying economic time have absolutely no choice but to rely regularly on fast food, from the single mom with no time to the working stiff on a short break and an even shorter budget. Every one of them who sees this excruciating video, Domino's customer or not, will gag and wonder just a tiny bit about the trustworthiness of a meal tomorrow. It is in my view nothing less than a crime against working people.[40] You do never know just what nutty person is making your food at a fast food place. You just hope that people are a little more dignified with food preparation, I am sure they wouldn't appreciate it being done to them. Sadly a lot of people act, and think, or in this case, don't even think about what they have just done later. Stupid to post a video of it, but hey in a way I am glad they did. Get them away from the food, who knows how many other times that little duo did it to previous orders. I bet everyone who has heard about it and ordered from that location is seriously thinking over any illnesses (no matter how minor) they may have come down with recently after ordering from there now.[31] This type of thing happens at almost every fast food place. It is what happens when you put lazy and immature people (usually teenagers) in an unsupervised, low morale kind of job. Last summer a couple of teenagers in my city thought it would be funny to post a video of themselves mooning through the drive through window at DQ. Same thing, they were fired the next day and the franchise owner was outraged.[31]

If you ever see anyone prepare food with NO gloves, you need to call the health department. no kidding. I have done this several times, you don't even wanna know what kind of shit i saw when I used to work at mcD's YEARs ago. some people never change, they just become disgruntled fast food employees like those 2.[31] Recently, I was in a restroom in a fast food place in Paintsville Ky. and was washing my hands. One of the employees came out of the stall so stepped over to allow them to use the sink. This person walked right past me. I thought it was gross enough, maybe they were leaving work just going home. Would you beleive I watched them walk right back into the kitchen started tossing french fries like normal.[6]

I've heard employees that work in fast food joints brag about urinating in the deep fat fryer, dropping food on the floor, then using it anyway.[17]

Why blame Dominos? This kind of thing goes on in many restaurant kitchens and not just the fast food ones. My cousin said one of the employees rubbed a steak that had been sent back a second time from a dissatisfied customer between his ass cheeks.what you don't know "probably" won't hurt you.[31]

Apparently posted to YouTube by employees of the fast-food chain, the video depicts kitchen workers trash talking their employer while all the while adding nauseating embellishments to food destined to the company's customers. Interestingly, viewers seem to be using YouTube to get these nameless employees canned.[41] TWO young Domino's employees have been sacked and are facing legal action after tampering with the chain's sub sandwiches and posting a video nasty of themselves on YouTube.[36]

YouTube is just as "real world" as the rest of the real world, and humorous videos can have serious consequences. North Carolina residents "Kristy" and "Michael" have been fired from their jobs after posting the video, which they say was simply a prankno salami was actually farted upon. The video was uploaded to YouTube, where it promptly gained 750,000 views and forced Domino's to issue an official statement saying that it is "appalled by the actions of these individuals."[29] Domino's apologized for the actions of "Michael" and "Kristy" and said the videos marred "the hard work performed by the 125,000 men and women working for Domino's" in the United States and all over the world.[7]

"The opportunities and freedom of the Internet is wonderful," the statement reads. "But it also comes with the risk of anyone with a camera and an Internet link to cause a lot of damage, as in this case, where a couple of individuals suddenly overshadow the hard work performed by the 125,000 men and women working for Domino's across the nation and in 60 countries around the world." The statement apologizes for the former employees' actions and thanks consumers for their continued support. Domino's spokesman Tim McIntyre declined to comment for this story, adding that requests to do so were like "asking a victim to describe the crime scene."[38] I don't think there's a good response available to Domino's here. The current response (firing the employees and pursuing legal action) is the most appropriate and Domino's belief that it doesn't need to draw more attention to this is probably wise, even if gut instinct is to be more proactive. The sad truth, as Chris points out, is that these sorts of incidents are not as uncommon at restaurants as we'd like to believe. They happen, and at high-end restaurants too. Unfortunately you can't teach ethics and common decency; more training probably wouldn't have helped these employees because they were despicable human beings, not employees who didn't understand the rules and regulations.[41] The Domino's employee should be arrested for food tampering and made to serve the maximum amount of jail time given. Maybe he will think twice before doing a stunt like this againsomething like this again.[17] Public punishment. The sad thing is. that this happens more often than we realize. Watch out! The fired employees will sue Dominos for restricting their freedom of expression. That's how warped our legal system has become. That's why I eat at Subway! I get to watch my food being prepared. I hope these idiots get jail time out of this.[6] Being stupid is. They deserve to get fired. People who do this kind of thing are morons. I would not boycott Dominos because they fired 2 gay employees, I would boycott them because their food sucks.[42]

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the two staff members, who call themselves gay in the footage, were traced by tech savvy viewers of the videos, who then informed Domino's head office. Domino's HQ have announced that not only were they fired, they've also filed a criminal complaint against the two employees.[20] Dominos is far from the first company to deal with off-script employees. Burger King fired an employee for bathing in a kitchen sink and then posting a video of the deed.[36] Domino's employees will come to your door and ask for money for right to life organizations!! They hate gays and foreigners. I am thrilled by this video!!! I hope the whole disgusting company goes down the tubes.[31]

I just watched the Domino's cheese-in-nose video shot and uploaded to YouTube by a couple of Domino's employees, and I have to say it made my blood run cold. It's one of the most stunning examples of internet/YouTube abuse I've ever seen.[40]

First and foremost is instituting a more stringent employee-training regimen and issuing a press release about it. He suggested that Domino's consider tapping a former Food and Drug Administration official as a food safety czar. The chain might also consider creating its own YouTube video, beginning with an apology and then describing the quality standards at Domino's. The chain could drive awareness of the video through paid search engine optimization, its own Web site and Twitter. He noted that Mattel used the strategy successfully in the wake of the Chinese toy scandal of 2007.[38] Dominos staff who posted a vile web video of themselves are to be arrested for their food prank, according to the pizza chain.[25]

WSAZ, you need to get the "Share" button fixed because when used with Facebook, it doesn't bring up the video properly. It just takes you to the Headlines Page for the story/video about Domino's. This is just plain sick. I think I will only be eating in places where you can watch them prepare the food when you place your order. I hope some type of criminal charges are being filed against these two morons and that they will never be allowed to work where food is being prepared again.[6] With the economy the way it is, I know my family doesn't eat out as much. Then to see that things like this go on with the hard earned money that people pay for their food. It makes me think twice about frquenting places like Dominos and Pizza House. With the number of Pizza House cars I see delivering to University of Michigan, I sure hope this article and feedback doesn't hurt their business.[21] I bet their not laughing now.lol I hope this reminds all those in the food industry that they can be arrested and prosecuted for such foolish behavior. People should still buy from Domino's (even though im not a fan of their pizza) if they like it.[31]

People who eat in restaurant are just asking for it. ALL food service workers are dirty, don't wash their hands and spit in food. That is just nasty. I must say, I will probably never eat at any Dominos again after watching this video.[6] Yes people do the things you mentioned, but you should not be blaming every food service worker. This is a shame that we the public have to worry about what we buy, If Dominos does not prosecute the two idiots and whoever else might have been involved in this and advertise the out come of their punishment, we the public should black ball Dominos until we know how it was handled and the out come. Firing them is not enough. Just goes to show you, don't hire teenagers they are immature and have no respect.[6]

The real problem for Dominos (and the entire QSR industry) is that the public already knows this is going on. This is a more common reality than we'd all like to admit when cost-driven companies employ underpaid workers to do important jobs like food handling & preparation. This is not a soapbox issue for me, it's just the practical reality for the QSR business model. The only solution to this problem in the long run is expensive. Dominos needs to address this by associating its brand with food preparation excellence.[41] Perhaps (as some suggested above) creating Dominos U. that teaches young, inexperienced workers how to properly handle food and also instills some kind of corporate pride as a result of being better trained. The problem for Dominos is that its approach can't be a PR or marketing stunt. It has to be real or they will only dig a deeper hole.[41]

Domino's spokesman Tim McIntyre says the workers were fired and there is no evidence any of the tampered foods were served to customers.[28] Investigators believe the food was delivered to customers, even though the pair deny that. The restaurant fired both workers and the health department shut it down Tuesday for sanitizing.[37]

I don't need stupid news. I think that these Food Companies should put cameras in the back area of their resturants so the managers know what goes on at all times. They put cameras up to video if they get robbed so why not video their workers.[6] Puneet Manchanda, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business, said the video could negatively affect Domino's sales. "It is possible that the next time someone thinks of ordering something from Domino's, they will think of some wacko at Domino's playing with their food," Manchanda said.[21] We would never put something like that on you tube if it were real," the letter said. It may be too late for Domino's to contain a social media marketing disaster - news of the videos is already spreading rapidly through Twitter. Thanks #nickname#, this article has been Flocked #flock_count# times.[26]

Twitter activity on the subject was huge and over half a million people have watched the videos online and its going up. For more on this see Neville Hobson's analysis on how bad news travels fast these days. We recently ran a story on a poll that showed that security risks will increase in 2009 as staff, who lose jobs in the sconomic downturn look for ways to sabotage their companies. In this day and age with so many free tools within easy grasp the PR damage can be huge as the Dominos instance shows.[13] A spokeswoman for Dominos told Sky News Online the pair had been sacked and the police had issued an arrest warrant. The firm will also file a civil suit, she said. "He just farted on that salami that goes on the sandwich," Kirsty can be heard saying as she films her colleague. "In about five minutes they will go out on delivery and people will be eating these and little do they know the cheese was in his nose."[25] A Domino's spokesman told Sky News Online that the two had been fired and that police had issued an arrest warrant.[23]

With just the comments that I've read here, I don't like seeing some of you leaving Dominos. I can safely say my store (cross lanes) doesn't do anything like that and if I found out one of my employees did that, they would be fired on the spot. [6] Anyone who is caught messing with peoples food should be charged and fined heavily. It isn't like they were young kids. They knew how bad it was going to be for themselves and the company which is the last thing any company needs right now. Those douches actions could end up hurting a lot of other employees if they end up downsizing because of boycotts. Their families must be very proud.[31] Maybe the employees need to be monitored more by RESPONSIBLE adults or the Health Department needs to pay more frequent visits. Would these same people want this to happen to the food they serve their family? You can turn on TV and there are programs taht focus on this behavior as "entertainment". This is what we have come to as a country, laughing at others people's expense and calling it a good thing.[21]

The real crime against working folks is the stain this puts on the overwhelming majority of people who do things right in the food industry - franchisees and employees.[40]

An apology from the female employee known only as "Kristy" claimed the clips were pranks and no snot-covered pizzas were served to customers. She said in a blog posting: "No food was ever sent out to any customer.[34] The employees, Michael Setzer, 32, and Kristy Hammonds, 31, were arrested Wednesday on a charge of distribution of prohibited foods, according to the Conover Police Department in North Carolina.[19] Kristy Lynn Hammonds, 31, and Michael Anthony Setzer, 32, are charged with distribution of prohibited foods - the same N.C. statute that deals with tainted Halloween candy. They turned themselves in to Conover police and were being held at Catawba jail Wednesday night on $7,500 bond apiece.[16] Police in Conover say 31-year-old Kristy Lynn Hammonds of Taylorsville and 32-year-old Michael Anthony Setzer of Conover are each charged with distributing prohibited foods.[28] Michael Setzer and Kristy Hammonds surrendered to police in Conover Wednesday afternoon. They're both charged with distributing contaminated food.[37]

Comments from YouTube users have ranged from "i eat that crap?" to "pizza hut have done the same thing as well." suggesting brand damage may touch industry rivals as well. The video is just one among a handful that Kristy and Michael have released about their kitchen shenanigans at the pizza chain. [24] A spokesperson for the pizza delivery chain said the employees were fired on Tuesday, after public outcry erupted over the video faster than Ted Allen can say “E. coli.[42] Funnily enough i came across this video by accident last nite and thought, how can anybody be so stupid as to film themselves in a work place doing this and then post it on the internet? Their naivety and stupidness amazes me. Alex in Dominoes employees defence, some work there while at college, others just to work, either way dont mock anybody who is at least out there trying to work for a living, its better than crime and doing nothing in life.[25] A business's reputation can be tarnished as a result of the stupid behaviour of a single rogue employee. It has also given some companies licence to fire people based on seemingly innocuous posts, such as announcing in their Facebook status that they are tired of work. Employers are scrambling to get control of what their staff say about their company on the web but this has proven increasingly difficult as most employment contracts and policies were formulated in the days before social networking existed.[30]

If you knew what happened in the kitchen in most places, you would get up and run out. To WITN- why didn't you post my comment? It was not offensive. I was merely stating that the manager should keep tabs on their employees to prevent this sort of thing. This kind of stuff goes on all the time. The only reason it's known is due to the stupidity of the culprits.[17]

Mr. Wnek's point is not really about this incident being an affront to the working class (although his "fortunate to have the time and resources not to have to eat fast food" comment does reveal a couple of less-than-admirable traits that are actually essential to the success of a top Creative), he is pointing, rather to the power that YouTube and new technology gives to a couple of teens who don't yet possess the maturity (brain development) to understand the consequences of their actions.[40] THIS STUFF HAPPENS EVERYWHERE. I remember many years ago working at a major fast food place back in highschool and some drunks came in and gave a cashier a hard time. Drunks ate them and were satisfied. I always inspect my food and my friends laugh at me, but I don't care it's going into my stomach and not theirs.[31] Never been back. I would be extremely surprised if this kind of thing and worse was not taking place in most of the convenient fast food chains in Australia. I'm not saying that it is because i could get sued for such a suggestion but think about all those teens working behind the scene dealing with customers who they may dispise without showing it.[36] My first job was at a fast food chain, (McDonalds on Zeeb at 94). I NEVER EVER saw this going on. It was the cleanist place I ever worked.[21]

I like Quiznos, Subway, and Hibachi Steakhouse. You can see your food being prepared at all of those places. How sickening, This kind of stuff goes on alot. I have heard people who have said stuff like this about alot of fast food places.[6]

"The economy is bad enough without people being so immature to hurt places that have been there forever," Merritt said. Domino's issued a statement Tuesday: "We are appalled by the actions of these individuals and they do not represent the 125,000 hard-working men and women of Domino's Pizza across the country and in 60 countries around the world."[6] Try hiring some more mature people who've had a taste of responsibility and the marketing department won't be forever trying to re-gain consumer confidence. Even before this happened I vowed never again to set foot inside a Domino's Pizza place. Nice to see the Gen Y bashers are out again- Hey old folks, how's the financial crises you fools started? How's this housing bubble going? im suprised you over 30's know how to use the internet to blog- well done guys. Dont forget the ones that think nothing of adding a little extra tang to your special sauce by harking up goolies from their throats & then onto the all beef patties.[36] I will NEVER eat Domino Again as long as I shall live. That's disgusting! Even before she did all that stuff. "they do not represent the 125,000 hard-working men and women of Domino's Pizza" Maybe not all of them, but enough of them to make you think twice about calling Domino's.[17]

Sad but true, I won't be eating at any Domino's Pizza locations for a long time. Do not play the "gay card". they should be playing the "stupid and gross card".[42]

In the article title, I would suggest putting the word gay in quotes. Domino's is being boycotted because both their former owner and a top-ranking current employee have actively opposed LGBT rights. This includes a donation to Prop 8. I for one don't patronize Domino's, though it has nothing to do with these employees.[42] Comment: These two employees were not fired for being gay. They were fired for being FOWL and INMATURE. Nothing more, nothing less.[42]

Welcome to the gross gourmet tutorial of “Michael” and “Kristy,” two self-identified gay Domino’s employees in Conover, N.C., who posted a video of their unsanitary kitchen antics on YouTube.[42]

Domino's officials and Catawba County health department inspectors took nothing to chance, sanitizing all equipment in the restaurant and throwing away all opened food items. Lafone said his department got an anonymous tip about the video on Tuesday morning, complete with a YouTube hyperlink.[16] "We thank members of the online community who quickly alerted us and allowed us to take immediate action," Domino's USA president Patrick Doyle announced in a video published on YouTube. "Although the individuals in question claim it's a hoax, we are taking this incredibly seriously."[30] A video response, tagged accordingly, would be helpful.'' While I suspect that such a response would take a VERY serious approach, i.e., "we adhere to the strictest standards," the company may want to add some humor to the hopefully (un-slick) production - given its target audience (and the audience on YouTube).'' Would a single video quell the controversy?'' Probably not, but it's a start.'' More importantly, this incident is a wake-up call to Dominos' PR operatives to ratchet up the "listening" piece of the social media equation.[41] The company said the videos overshadowed "the hard work performed by the 125,000 men and women working for Domino's" in the U.S. and around the world.[12] How rich is that. She's a real rocket scientist huh. Probably she recorded it for her own viewing pleasure if they had their pants down. Sounds like she has a multitude of issues. Maturity is not one of her strengths. Her letter to the company sounds like it was written by a teenage girl, not a 30 y/o sex offender who should be plenty worried about serving jail time now that she has violated parole. Why in the world was she hired to work with young boys anyway. That was pretty stupid on the part of Dominos.[17] After Amy Wilson and whyerhead of The Consumerist identified the franchise, another user of the popular watchdog site emailed Domino's corporate contacts. Our chief of security has spoken to the franchise owner this morning, who was dumbfounded, to say the least. He has told us that he will be terminating their employment today. The "challenge" that comes with the freedom of the internet is that any idiot with a camera and an internet link can do stuff like this - and ruin the reputation of a brand that's nearly 50 years old, and the reputations of 125,000 hard-working men and women across the nation and in 60 countries around the world. Unsurprisingly, McIntyre cited the "freedom" of the Internet as both a gift and a curse. The company is understandably in the early stages of dealing with this incident, but if they wish to regain consumer trust, a simply apology will not surpass. Domino's should immediately launch a new sanitation initiative and announce stricter inspection standards for its stores. What essentially shocks the public about this outrage is not that it merely happened at one store, but that it does happen in actuality -- the proverbial "Slim Shady spittin' on your onion rings" is not just a mythic malcontent.[32] Only yesterday, April 14, McIntyre said the chain would not be posting statements on the company Web site for fear of alerting more consumers to a negative story. He added that millions of people view the chain's Web site every day, if only to order a pizza. Such an approach "would be like putting out a candle with a fire hose," he said.[38]

I love pizza, and now I can't stand the thought of eating it. Unfortunately, this is something that does in fact happen more than we would all like to think. Not all food service workers are are this disgusting and idiotic.[6] They're certainly not the only food service workers who have ever added their very own special seasonings to food. Since they were so stupid to make it public I would like to know where their former employer was located. Maybe they can make a video in the jail food line.[31] Of course, there's a twist. The video shows the workers picking their noses and sneezing on the food. At one point in the video, Kristy says, "Did you all see that? He just blew a booger on those sandwiches."[5] The video shows one worker putting cheese in his nostril and waving meat under his rear end, all while preparing sandwiches.[43] By today, one version had received close to 730,000 hits. The video shows one employee putting cheese in his nostril and waving meat under his backside before putting the ingredients on a pair of sandwiches.[21]

"This is my special Italian sandwich," the male employee says at one point, before sticking a piece of cheese up his nose and placing it on what appears to be a customer's order. In another clip called "Poopie Dishes" the same employee drops his shorts, aggressively wipes a cloth between his bum and uses it to wash a pizza pan.[34] One wonders whether to read the stunt as gay defamation -- or an unfortunate attempt to break kitchen stereotypes. “Whoever knew a gay man would stick cheese in his nose?” asks Michael. Domino’s is considering criminal charges and a civil lawsuit against the former employees, who insist their actions were a prank.[42] Employees characterized the stunt as a prank, and Domino's said the filthy food was never served.[7] Perez, the depths of your stupidity never cease to amaze me. If you hear a story about a chef at a fine restaurant spitting in the food would you never again eat at any fine dining establishment anywhere? Your idiotic question presupposes that Dominos encouraged the activity of these employees and expects all of its employees to behave in that way.[31]

For the most part the agency is responding to the rise in paid blog promotions and the like, which can too often appear to be unsolicited to the general public. The concern is that these seemingly independent voices will make product or service claims that are incorrect or not verifiable. ''Realistically this is a devilish standard to try to enforce and variables such as location of the blogger will play havoc with the FTC'''s ability to actually do anything. Unlike the Domino's issue this is a case where the social communities are more likely and effective at meting out rough frontier-style justice via ridicule, unfriending, and exposure of the culprit than a government agency would be. Just as in the Domino's incident though, brands can find their reputation tarnished in a matter of hours through unintended and unforeseen actions taken by employees or sub contractors way down the line. What this requires of brands and their marketers is the ability to respond rapidly and, most importantly, portably.[33] If Domino's treated their employees like humans, not like minimum wage slaves to corperate greed, they probably wouldn't have this problem.[31]

The employees have been fired. The franchisee who owned the Domino'''s location has filed criminal complaints against them both. There have been arrest warrants issued for both former employees. As of the most recent information available, these former employees are currently evading law enforcement.[31] "Any idiot with a webcam and an internet connection can attempt to undo all that's right about the brand," Mr. McIntyre said, adding that Dominos has 125,000 employees in 60 countries and a loyal following.[36]

"The opportunities and freedom of the Internet is wonderful," said a statement posted on Domino's corporate Web site. "But it also comes with the risk of anyone with a camera and an Internet link to cause a lot of damage, as in this case, where a couple of individuals suddenly overshadow the hard work performed by the 125,000 men and women working for Domino's across the nation and in 60 countries around the world."[21] Comment: I work for Dominos and I think these idiots should have definitely been fired.[42] Embarrassed. Those were her words." Eyewitness News asked a Domino's manager about the case, but he declined to comment. Others, however, said they think the workers should face criminal penalties.[1] Two Dominos workers in the United States were sacked after filming themselves sticking cheese up their nose and posting it on YouTube.[36]

"Now that's how we roll at Domino's." In another, Michael sneezes on cheese sticks as Kristy, who filmed the clips, announces: "That's right, come to our store, we'll give you a lot of love."[30] "Now that's how we roll at Domino's," says Kristy, who filmed the clips. "That's right, come to our store, we'll give you a lot of love." It's hard to know if the pair are actually gay, or if their mention of being gay is facetious.[20]

A number of armchair speculators have suggested that Domino's respond in video form a tactic employed by Southwest Airlines when, last year, two young girls publicly claimed to have been kicked off a flight for being "too pretty."[24]

I've heard that if you tip badly (or not at all), the people at the Domino's near me do stuff like that, or worse, to your food.[31] I treated customers as I would want to be treated and think that most severs to the same. These two are the exception. What kind of worped mind could come up with this idea? These people need to be committed or something like, that. This is worse than sick, this is demented. I can't get this picture out of my mind. Wonder what they were doing while they were at the Food Handlers Classes, they must not have listened very well, or it went right over their heads.[6] How dreadful. I think that at this point, the brand cannot market its way out of a mess like that - there is no positive spin possible. I think that, depending on the viral success of that video, they may need to simply condemn it outright and put in place an additional training programme for their staff, so they can at least seem to be doing something.[41] It is worrying for them. I think they should just counter it with their own viral campaign trashing those in the video, maybe like Fleur recommends as a game or their own viral video.[41]

I wouldn't stigmatized the WHOLE chain for the actions of two very stupid, immature asshats. Every resturant runs a rick of a immature twit who thinks they can do something like this. I can never eat subway in the spot where a friend used to work because of how unsanitary they are. My friend worked there and was shocked by how many short cuts they actually take. Don't think subway is safe, if someone says "I have to go into the back and get something" there's a chance they're stepping on what hey were getting you.[31]

Think of what can be dumped into cooking oil while you are at it. This doesn't surprise me one bit. These fast food chains want to employ immature kids who haven't even finished school, have no respect for anyone else or the law, no manners and definitely no common sense.[36] No need to boycott an entire food chain because of two morons. Seriouly, this shit happens EVERYWHERE! Not just fast food restaurants.[31] I have worked in the restaurant biz for over 10 years and I have NEVER seen anyone harm the food However, I never worked in fast food and probably will never eat at a fast food place again.[31]

This stuff happens all the time, thats the risk you take when ordering fast food, can you imagine what else they do to the food ? fucking disgusting I have not ordered pizza in 2 years not after my friend found a nail in his pizza. I hope these fuckers never work a day in their life.[31] I stand firnmly by James and kcm- fast food is certainly not the ONLY option for time and money starved folks.[40] Time constrained, financially challenged individuals and families DO have alternatives to eating fast food. It is a myth of the consumer culture that fast food serves some kind of altruistic cause to ensure that the hard-working masses are kept nourished. It takes as much time to make a salad as it does to sit in your car and shout an order into the drive-thru microphone.[40]

How disgusting!! If life sucks for you working at a fast food resturaunt then pick something else, besides, how dumb to post it on you tube. that is just STUPID!! I am so glad I don't eat out.[6] If fast food is the only option for "working class people", then it is fair to say that obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure/cholesterol are also crimes against working class people.[40]

If you go in a look at the people working in the back,where food is prepared,you will think twice,before eating there.[6] I think all minimum wage employees working in food establishments are subject to contaminating the food. Therefore you take you health into your hands when you patronize them.[31] Urban myths about employees in food outlets tampering with food abound. I was going to recount some of them, but I don't think it's fair, for the same reason you bring up your toddlers based on the "Once seen, never unseen" principle: Even the most apocryphal allusion to food tampering can powerfully remain in the psyche forever, to the potential harm of an innocent vendor.[40] I do agree that it is horrendous to think that the perpetrators herein represent a large, embittered population of food service employees. They have scarred not only a brand and many appetites, but so many innocent and hard-working individuals who do their job appropriately at QSR outlets and other retailers worldwide.[40]

Agreed on the psychological effects. It's even worse for any poor souls who ate in that facility recently. The marketing trades are all talking about brand damage, and that's certainly a big issue here, but at the core are some people who presumably ate these sandwiches. Urban myths about employees in food outlets tampering with food abound. those are not urban myths.[40] WBTV also received an email from a woman claiming to be the employee behind the camera. She swears none of the food was ever delivered to customers and it was all a joke.[10]

Gary Lafone, chief of the Conover Police Department, declined to say whether investigators or the pizza company believe the food was sent out to customers.[16] At the very least, the pizza chain, which already functions in a concealed environment (many Domino's only cater to take-out customer), must release a statement promising change.[32] I don't usually order from Dominos anyway, but no matter which pizza chain you order from you face that risk.[31]

Tom Monaghan is the founder of Domino's Pizza. He's also an ultra-right-wing Catholic activist who created his own city in Florida, and has funnelled millions into conservative Catholic organisations, businesses, schools, and other ventures.[20] A Health Department score on the window gives that Domino's Pizza a 96.5, an "A" rating. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.[6]

Domino's has struggled with sluggish U.S. sales recently. The pizza delivery company launched its line of toasted sandwiches last year in an effort to create more lunchtime business.[21] Domino's apologised and said the incidents overshadowed the hard work performed by the 125,000 people who were employed by the company around the world.[30] Oh please, it is not just a "north carolina redneck" problem! that kind of thing happens Daily all over the world. even more since Waiting came out. I know I have worked in the food industry and similar things happend there too. these people just got caught by their own stupidity. Some one should between two pieces of bread and make him eat it. I wonder how Dominos will recover from this.[17] I've been in the food industry for 8 yrs now. If this happened in North Carolina why do you people at WSAZ think we needed to be grossed out by it.[6]

I am apprehensive about eating out. It is people like this that make people sick and do disgusting things. If I knew they did this to my food, I would make them eat my fist. This is disgusting, these idiots thought this was funny. I don't see any humor in this at all. It's not only grosse, but they could make someone very sick.[6]

I'm about done with all food that is not prepared by me. Pizza is easy enough to make at home that I won't be ordering from them again. Truly, stuff like this goes on everywhere.[17] For Patty, you putting ALL food service workers into a dirty, non-hand washing, food spitting group is like the rest of us saying all women named Patty are stupid.[6] The restaurant took steps to rectify the situation. It reopened for business Wednesday after spending one day closed so workers could sanitize everything inside the restaurant and throwing out all food and paper products that were not still sealed directly from the manufacturer. Officials with the Catawba County Health Department said the business is cooperating fully with its investigation.[1]

In every single businessbe it fast food, classy restaurant, office, education, even in the church, etc., there is always a greedy and/or disgusting person in the bunch that ruins it for everyone else.[31] I worked in fast food all through my high school years, and a family steak house here where I live. I can tell you this much; if you knew HALF of what went on in the kitchens of your local eateries, you'd never eat out again.[31]

I worked in restaurants all through college, the worst thing I ever did to a customer was put green bananas in a banana split. First of all she complained the hot fudge made her son's sundae too soft, then she wanted a banana split, I knew they were green as grass and told her we couldn't do them that day, she said "it wouldn't be on the menu if you couldn't do them" in a snotty tone as if I were an idiot, so I made her one! I never knew of anyone who actually did anything nasty to the food.[6] One Chinese restaurant kept adding new rice on top of old rice in a slow cooker. A customer noticed her rice moving. it was maggots. People that own these places and work in them just don't care anymore. It's a different world and morals are unheard of. This gal is still on probation.[17] COMPOUND FACTIONS -- NielsenConnect, the new compound brand name launched late last year by the Nielsen Co., and headed by former Madison Avenue "iconoclast" Jon Mandel, has "heard from clients, agencies and media sellers about being stodgy and slow to respond to changes in the marketplace," Nielsen-owned trade magazine Mediaweek reported this week. Nielsen's response is to have its disparate operating units work more closely together to provide more integrated client solutions, and to sell more Nielsen stuff in the process. To illustrate the new corporate synergy, NielsenConnect placed the story exclusively in Mediaweek, after it was passed up by both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. The release, er story, reveals five new compound words - NielsenCombine, NielsenConnections, NielsenTrend, NielsenHealth, and NielsenLinx - representing various new products and services, that are actually repackaged combinations of old products and services, but with much higher price tags and with no spaces between their names. "This is only the beginning," Mandel said in a letter to clients outlining the products.[44] The YouTube clip of the employees is no longer available due to a copyright claim. AdFreak covered the incident yesterday, with Adweek digital editor Brian Morrissey wryly musing: "This is not Abu Ghraib, but it's sure to strike a chord. How long before this bounces around Twitter and blogs before The New York Times weighs in with a chin-scratching 1,500-word article a week later?" Separately, another fast-food titan, Burger King, is finding itself in hot water over a pair of ads.[35] There was just one problem: the real prank was that Improv Everywhere had faked the whole thing, including the funeral. That didn't prevent the "CW 11 news team" from simply reporting the video as a fact on their nightly broadcast. When Improv Everywhere revealed the whole thing was a joke, the CW 11 reporter who had narrated the on-air piece wrote a strange blog entry of his own, asking just who was pranking whom. "Burying an April Fool's joke within an April Fool's joke is controversial, and quite possibly illegal in New York State," he said. Yes. what if? Anyway, it's all quite dizzying in a prank-about-a-prank-within-a-prank way, but the episode grew even odder when Improv Everywhere then uploaded the footage of CW 11's report to YouTubeand CW 11's lawyers filed a DMCA takedown request over the footage. This led to an angry retort from Improv Everywhere. "What's more interesting is the fact that their original broadcast used our content without permission. They simply put 'YOUTUBE' on the screen to indicate that's where they found the video. Not that YouTube does anything to discourage this sort of prank-off.[29] Someone had cracked the account and uploaded, of all things, Russian lesbian soft-core pornography. Party chairman Gerry Scimeca told Talking Points Memo that the episode was an "Internet prank" and that "it's unfortunate but there are enough depraved people out there who will do this." Those "depraved" pranksters include New York's Improv Everywhere, a group that stages "scenes of chaos and joy in public places." For April Fool's Day this year, the troupe decided to prank a small funeral in Brooklyn, sending 30 strangers dressed in suits to show up at the graveside service of someone who had died with few friends and relations.[29]

Inappropriate? Alert us. "IDIOTS!" I'm glad charges are being made and the should foot the bill for the fines they will incur. It's so easy to find another job out there in this world isn't it boys? Just goes to show many are NOT ready to be working. They still think life is a big game. I hope they don't get another job for a good long while. There are to many people out here that need a job and would be thankful to have theirs.[21] While I agree that seeing people play with food that is then served to unsuspecting customers has ill-effects that go beyond simple gross-out, it is intellectually dishonest to say that the act goes so far as to be a "crime against working people."[40] Some Mexican joints re-use chips and food left over by customers all the time.[17]

Just how thick are these pair.Did they really think they would not be caught and get serious grief from the company.This will do a lot of damage to Domino's make no mistake.Anyone thinking of buying one of their products will have an image of these numpties and their gross antics in their minds and go somewhere else.I would sue them big time.[25] The two were fired and Domino's is pursuing criminal and legal action against them, McIntyre said. McIntyre also including an e-mail sent to him from Kristy.[2] I would just decline. I hope Domino's pursues civil action against these individuals. As the comments can be read on this site, this is horrible for their business. An example should be made of these individuals to help protect the consumer.[17]

Stuff on YouTube spreads like wildfire. I imagine that this will not be the only Dominos that will suffer from this stupidity.[17] It's one of those cases where anyone can post a video online, but almost just as quickly, someone else can point out the idiot online and track them down. Readers of The Consumerist found them by tracking their YouTube name and searching for them from there.[23] While the video was mildly humorous, the YouTube comments were not. They degenerated quickly into name-calling ("hillbillies") and claims that the woman in the video is a sex offender, complete with her alleged address and full name.[29] Comment: Youtube has made the videos unavailable because of a copyright claim by someone named Kristy.[42] "This is our special Italian Sandwich,' says a woman who calls herself 'Kristy' on a YouTube video.[3]

While the antics were going on, the manager was out at the back reading a newspaper, "as always", Kristy says in the clip. In another of the videos Michael wipes his backside with a sponge before using it to clean a pot.[30] The disgusting footage, apparently a misguided spoof of an advertisement by two bored employees, includes a demonstration of how Michael’s “special Italian sandwich” gets made before it heads out for delivery. While Kristy flashes her copy of Tori Spelling's autobiography, pal Michael inserts string cheese in his nostrils and exposes salami slices to a torrent of flatulence.[42]

Admittedly, I haven't seen the performance, but I share Julie Bolcer's suspicion that the employees involved may not have been gay. They may have been trying to defame gay people.[42] Comment: Just like handicapped people CAN be assholes, gay people can be idiots. Never judge a person by their skin, ability, sexual orientation.[42]

Like Tyler Durden, I'''ll have clean food please. Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them here or check out Reprise Media folks on Twitter.[33] I would offer no direct social media response and instead just listen. Social media has done its job here - it has exposed an operational weakness that must be addressed. The QSR industry would do well to observe and begin formulating an approach to this systemic problem. It is only a matter of time before these kinds of videos become vogue. Our younger generation (currently working these jobs) know first-hand that there are numerous problems and may increasingly take on the role of muckraking reporters. It is in our country's long-term best interest but will cause some serious short-term pain for corporations. Social media may ultimately produce this generation's Upton Sinclair. if we're lucky.[41] The chain is stepping carefully over figurative eggshells to mitigate the damage. It was all a prank and me nor Michael expected to have this much attention from the videos that were uploaded!" she wrote.[24] INSTANTANEOUS power. And, in this case, quite unintentional. As an uncle to a few teens, I can assure you that these two were just trying to get a laugh and were hoping for 15 minutes of fame, the same motivation driving 100% of all bloggers and tweeters. This is the phenomenon, the risk, that Wnek is holding up to scrutiny. It's something to think about. If these two idiots can do this, what else is possible? Look at the damage that another 'idiot' did to both the reputation of Michael Phelps and Kellogg's with a simple photo post of Phelps doing something that hundreds of thousands of people are doing in the privacy of homes around the world every evening.[40] In the meantime, Domino's has opted neither to issue a press release nor post any statements online.[24] "Dominos is not in a forgiving or forgetting mood right now. It is not acceptable," she told Sky News Online.[25]

Catawba County health inspection records show the Domino's in Conover, on 10th Street N.W., has a very good sanitation rating - 96.5. Its last four inspections have produced scores ranging from 95.5 to 97.5.[16] Eyewitness News showed the video to several neighbors in the Conover area. Kenny Sherrill said, "That's pretty nasty.[2]

Two readers of the blog Consumerist used a small number of clues to pinpoint the store's location in the U.S. state of North Carolina and alerted Domino's headquarters. [26] Inappropriate? Alert us. Look for a restaurant where they perform the preparation of food AS A CALLING!! That's the problem. Too many cooks and food handlers hate their jobs and are just doing it because no other work is available.[21]

SOURCES

1. Online Video Embarrasses Mother of Domino's Worker - Charlotte News Story - WSOC Charlotte
2. Local Domino's Employees Fired After Online 'Prank' Video - Charlotte News Story - WSOC Charlotte
3. National Ledger - Pizza Employees Fired for Gross YouTube Videos From Conover Dominos
4. Pizza workers fired after YouTube joke - UPI.com
5. YouTube prank backfires for Catawba pizza employees
6. Dominos Fires Employees for Disgusting YouTube Video
7. FOXNews.com - Domino's Pizza: Workers Who Videotaped Themselves Passing Gas on Food Face Arrest - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News
8. VIDEO: Domino'''s Pizza Workers Could Face Criminal Charges
9. Pizza Employees Fired Over YouTube Videos in Conover, N.C. - Original News: The Post Chronicle
10. Employees At NC Domino's Fired After Posting Video On YouTube | digtriad.com | Triad, NC | Local and State News Article
11. www.WHEC.com - Former Dominos employees film themselves mishandling food, post on YouTube
12. BBC NEWS | Business | Domino's fires staff over videos
13. Dominos counts the cost of staff pranks on YouTube (Computer Weekly Editor's Blog)
14. Domino's: Arrest Warrants Issued For Domino's Outlaws Kristy And Michael, While Domino's Prez Apologizes Online
15. Arrest Warrants Issued Against Fired Pizza Workers Who Tainted Sandwich In YouTube Video | AHN | April 16, 2009
16. YouTube prank backfires for pizza employees | CharlotteObserver.com
17. Domino's Workers Fired For Mishandling Food; Arrest Warrants Issued
18. Pizza Workers Fired After Posting Prank Video - Winston-Salem News Story - WXII The Triad
19. Ex-Domino's employees arrested for tampering with food after YouTube video goes viral - Ann Arbor Business ' MLive.com
20. What's In The Box With The Dots? on SameSame.com.au
21. Domino's Pizza fires workers after online video shows one tampering with a sandwich - Ann Arbor Business ' MLive.com
22. News 14 | 24 Hour Local News | Charlotte | Two fired for YouTube pizza prank
23. Dirty Domino's workers found, fired
24. Domino's Employees Incite YouTube Brand Scandal - MarketingVOX
25. Dominos Pizza Vile Food Prank YouTube Video: US Staff Sacked And Arrest Warrant Issued | World News | Sky News
26. Domino's workers fired over snot pizza
27. BNET.com Mobile
28. The Associated Press: Domino's workers face charges after YouTube video
29. Punk'd! Local pranks go national thanks to YouTube - Ars Technica
30. Net manhunt tracks dirty Domino's duo - web - Technology - smh.com.au
31. Perez Hilton: Arrest Warrants Issued To Disgusting Former Domino's Pizza Employees!!
32. Online Media Examiner: Justice served to unsanitary Domino's workers
33. Search 3.0: The Dark Side of Search 3.0 | SearchViews - Daily insights on Search Marketing, Social Media and SEO by Reprise Media.
34. Pizza giant pans two filthy chefs | The Sun |News
35. Domino's President Issues Video Apology
36. Pizza pair&squo;s YouTube prank | The Daily Telegraph
37. UPDATE: Domino's Workers Charged With Felonies After Posting YouTube Video | digtriad.com | Triad, NC | Local and State News Article
38. Employee Misconduct and Internet Video Create PR Disaster for Domino's Pizza | workforce.com
39. Domino's workers fired for mischief with sandwich - Forbes.com
40. Forget Dominos; YouTube Video Is Crime Against Working People - Advertising Age - News
41. Domino's Social Media Mess | Blog | Econsultancy
42. Gay Domino's Employees Axed for Video |News | Advocate.com
43. www.the33tv.com - content_landing_page
44. MediaPost Publications Real Media Riffs - Tuesday, May 15, 2007 05/15/2007

GENERATE A MULTI-SOURCE SUMMARY ON ANY SUBJECT
Enter your search query below. WAIT 10-20 sec for the new window to open.
Get more info on Video Prank at Domino's Taints Brand by using the iResearch Reporter tool from Power Text Solutions.

Above is the automatically generated multi-source news digest.
Its main content has been compiled basing on the fair use of snippets from original news stories (initially clustered by the Google News) by applying our multi-document summarization technology. The title has been excerpted from this article, and the top image was found here.

Give Us Your Feedback!

How did you like this article?