A viral video has ignited controversy around a New Jersey pizzeria after a staff member was recorded verbally confronting customers who requested a knife to cut a birthday cake for a five-year-old.

The incident occurred on August 1 at Joey Tomato's on the boardwalk at Point Pleasant Beach, according to Tom Jurkowski, founder of Vintage New Jersey, a social media page that archives local memories. Jurkowski, who posted the video the following day, stated that his group had spent approximately $250 on food and drinks and had received permission to bring a cake.

In the footage, the employee can be heard calling the request "inappropriate." She stated, "Okay so when I come to your house with my candles and my cake, am I going to be able to do whatever I want there now? You didn’t call, you didn’t make an arrangement or anything. You just don’t walk into a restaurant and do whatever you want."

Jurkowski responded that it was a child's birthday party and they simply wanted to cut the cake. The employee retorted, "I don't care what it is. It's inappropriate. How about if I just come to your house with a cake and do whatever I want? It's inappropriate." A woman in the background is heard telling the employee, "You're embarrassing yourself," before the clip concludes.

Jurkowski later stated in a follow-up video that he did not anticipate the clip causing such widespread attention or "damage." He expressed surprise at how the situation unfolded, reiterating that their only intention was to borrow a knife.

"My hope is that everyone involved learns from this and that future customers are treated with a little bit more kindness and respect, especially when they just want to create positive moments in their lives," Jurkowski said. He indicated this would likely be his last statement on the matter.

Prior to the video's circulation, Joey Tomato's reportedly had a reputation for a friendly atmosphere. However, its Yelp page has since been flooded with negative one-star reviews. Comments on TikTok, where the video was also shared, appeared to support Jurkowski's account, with one user claiming to have witnessed the employee yelling at other customers, including one with an infant.

The Daily Mail has attempted to contact Joey Tomato's for comment.