Cinnabon Employee Fired After Racist Tirade Against Muslim Couple
Cinnabon confirmed the termination on X after a video of the incident went viral.
The company said the episode occurred at a franchise-run outlet at Bay Park Square mall in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, and stressed that the behaviour seen in the footage did not reflect its standards for customer service.
In a statement to the Associated Press, the brand said the employee’s conduct was “completely unacceptable” and did not represent Cinnabon or its franchisees.
The video, first posted on TikTok, shows a white female staff member directing an aggressive outburst at a couple standing at the counter.
The user who shared the clip said the dispute began when the couple requested additional caramel on their order.
According to the user’s post, the employee made remarks about the woman’s hijab, with the staff member allegedly saying, “you could see me squeezing it through that witch craft bandanah you’re wearing on the top of your head.”
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The TikTok post stated that the woman wearing the hijab was left shaken by the confrontation.
The couple were identified in an online fundraising campaign as a Black Somali Muslim pair.
The clip also showed the employee making additional hostile comments and gestures. Sections of the exchange contain slurs that this report is omitting.
The incident comes amid a documented rise in Islamophobic cases in the United States. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported an increase in anti-Muslim bias complaints in 2024 and early 2025, citing verbal harassment, workplace discrimination and hate incidents as recurring concerns.
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Separate fundraising pages were created after the video spread widely. One sought legal support for the couple, while another was organised for the self-proclaimed “racist” former employee.
According to the Associated Press, the latter campaign was hosted on a Christian crowdfunding site that has previously raised money for individuals involved in racially charged incidents.
Source: Agencies
