A Crumbl Cookies location in Charlotte, North Carolina, was temporarily closed and underwent professional cleaning after a customer recorded a video of an employee styling another worker's hair near the store's kitchen area. The incident, which occurred on a Friday evening around 9:15 p.m. while the store was still open, was captured by a customer who had intended to purchase cookies.
The customer described witnessing "hair play" between two women before entering the store. When he commented on the unsanitary nature of the activity, one of the employees responded, "do you see me cooking?" According to reports, the customer was unable to purchase cookies because none were fresh.
The video of the incident quickly gained traction online. Both the customer who filmed the video and another witness filed complaints with Crumbl's corporate offices.
In response to the viral video, Crumbl Cookies issued a statement acknowledging the incident and calling the conduct "unacceptable and inappropriate." The company stated that upon learning of the situation, they immediately closed the store, discarded all dough on-site, hired a professional cleaning crew, and took "appropriate action with the employees involved."
As a result of the incident, the two employees featured in the video no longer work for the company. The Crumbl Cookies store remained closed on Monday for cleaning and reopened on Tuesday.
Crumbl Cookies is known for its weekly rotating menu of specialty cookies. The company emphasized its commitment to strict health and safety policies and stated that violations are taken seriously.