A Florida woman allegedly assaulted a fast-food worker when her lunch order didn’t include the dipping sauces she wanted, according to authorities.
McKenzie Anne Keeling, 31, flew into a rage after picking up food last Friday afternoon at a Raising Cane’s restaurant in Clearwater and “discovering that she was missing 8 packs of Cane’s Sauce,” the chicken finger chain’s signature condiment, according to an arrest affidavit filed in Pinellas County Circuit Court and reviewed by The Independent.
Keeling, who had already driven away by the time she became aware of the apparent oversight, then called the location and said she was on her way back to pick up her sauce, the affidavit states. Once she returned, the restaurant manager greeted Keeling — who was still talking to the Raising Cane’s employee who had picked up the phone — and “inquired how she could assist” her, the affidavit continues.
“[Keeling] requested her missing sauce, which the victim provided, then [Keeling] requested additional sauces for free for ‘wasting her time and gas,’” the affidavit goes on.
But the manager denied Keeling’s request, prompting Keeling to demand the woman’s name, according to the affidavit. It says that when the manager declined to identify herself, Keeling “became hostile, both verbally and physically,” creating a loud commotion and “disturbing staff and customers.”
As she continued yelling, Keeling struck the manager in the right thigh, then grabbed a lanyard attached to the woman’s belt loop that was holding her employee ID card and keys, and tried to yank it away, the affidavit states.
This attempt to “temporarily deprive the victim of [her] property” utilized “force” and “violence,” and placed the manager “in fear,” the affidavit says.
“This was witnessed by two other restaurant employees and additionally captured on CCTV footage,” according to the affidavit.
Keeling was not visibly drunk or under the influence of drugs at the time, and did not appear to have obvious mental health issues, the affidavit notes.
She was booked into jail on one count of strong-arm robbery, a felony, and released a short time later on a $2,500 bond.
In 2022, a New York City man was accused of shooting and killing a Chinese food deliveryman who failed to bring an adequate amount of duck sauce with his order.
Keeling did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Messages sent to her attorney, Roger D. Futerman, went unanswered. The manager, whose name The Independent is withholding, did not respond to a separate request for comment.
Keeling has pleaded not guilty.
