Two employees at a Smoothie King outlet in Ann Arbor have been terminated after they allegedly refused to serve a customer because he was wearing a hoodie bearing the name of US President Donald Trump.The incident, which took place on Sunday, gained widespread attention after a video of the heated exchange went viral on social media.According to reports, Erika Lindemyer and her husband Jake visited the franchise location to purchase smoothies when employees told them they did not “feel comfortable” serving Jake due to his pro-Trump attire.In the video, Erika is heard confronting the workers, saying, “We were just wanting a smoothie, and you literally looked at us and said you don’t feel comfortable serving us because of my husband’s hoodie. That is discrimination.”One of the employees responded, “Okay, well, have a great day,” while another added, “I said Trump discriminates against us.”The couple argued that their political views should not prevent them from being served and threatened to call the police before leaving the store.In a separate clip shared later, one of the workers claimed she was a minor and alleged that she had been recorded without consent. She also appealed online for help in getting the video taken down, saying she had received hate comments and threats.
What the company said
In a statement posted on X, Smoothie King said it had launched an investigation into the matter.“Following an investigation into an incident involving a guest who was refused service at a franchised location in Michigan, the franchise owner has taken immediate action and the two employees involved are no longer with the business,” the company said.The Texas-based brand reiterated that it has “zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind, including political affiliation.”“Every guest and team member deserves to feel welcomed. We remain firmly committed to upholding our brand standards and ensuring our stores are inclusive environments where everyone feels cared for and respected,” the statement added.The franchise owner has also initiated mandatory retraining for staff to reinforce guest service standards.
Social media reactions divided
The viral video sparked intense debate online, with netizens split over the company’s decision. Some users supported Smoothie King’s action to terminate the employees.“Refusing service based on political views is unprofessional. The company did the right thing,” one user wrote.Another commented, “You can disagree politically, but when you’re at work, you represent the brand.” However, others defended the employees, arguing that they had the right to feel uncomfortable.“If they felt unsafe, they shouldn’t be forced to serve someone,” one commenter said. Another wrote, “Businesses say they can refuse service — so why is this different?”
