*The Mela Kitchen at Jack’s Hard Cider in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania has issued an apology after employer Donald Hoffman went viral for introducing offensive menu items such as “The Caucasian” cocktail and another mixed drink called “The Negro”.
According to Gettysburg Times, 25 employees allegedly walked out of the establishment when Hoffman revealed his new cocktails on earlier this month. Apparently, the workers were threatened via email with termination or told to seek employment elsewhere for complaining about the alcoholic beverages.
Former front-of-house manager Megan Dietz reportedly warned Hoffman that there would be a 4 p.m. walk out if he didn’t drop “The Caucasian” and “The Negro” from the menu.
“In what worlds, do you think you can threaten your boss and expect not to be released, especially in a right-to-work state like Pennsylvania?” server Emily Kate Hessler claimed Hoffman said to her by phone.
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Hoffman refused employees’ requests for a meeting, People’s World reported and now Mela Kitchen is short-staffed due to his management style.
The restaurant issued an apology on Facebook on March 8 concerning the matter.
“When we started Atomic Dog our goal was to create a healthy and inclusive work environment. We are proud of how we have provided jobs for over 100 employees since our founding in January 2019,” the message states.
“I have come to realize how we have fallen short on addressing the sensitive issues towards others. Both inside the company and in how we present ourselves to the community,” the statement continues. “I take full responsibility for the shortcomings and I apologize to the current and former employees who have experienced harm while working at Mela Kitchen.”
“I will be ordering additional sensitivity training for myself and promise to develop a culture of understanding, empathy and tolerance to ensure that our staff feel safe and empowered.”
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