5 Crazy Fast-Food Crimes

Fast-food restaurants are typically associated with quick bites and convenience, but occasionally, they become the backdrop for bizarre and downright outrageous criminal incidents. From some Popeyes^® biscuit-fueled fury to a McDonald’s^® sauce-related bomb threat, join us as we explore five crazy fast-food crimes that go beyond the ordinary.

1. Popeyes Biscuit Blitz

In 2023, Popeyes fan Belinda Miller found herself at the center of a heated confrontation when she realized her drive-through order didn’t have biscuits. Customers inside could reportedly hear Miller screaming from the drive-though, threatening to come inside if her biscuits were not brought to her quickly.

After getting her biscuits, Miller angrily peeled out of the parking lot. Still unsatisfied, she called Popeyes, threatening to crash her Toyota RAV4 into the building because of the incident.

Keeping her promise, Miller later drove through the entrance of the building, narrowly missing an employee before fleeing the scene. Officers were able to quickly trace her damaged SUV back to her residence where she was arrested.

2. McDonald’s Missing Sauce Mayhem

We all know people can get a little hangry, but threatening to bomb a building over missing sauce? While it may sound extreme, it’s exactly what happened to McDonald’s employees in Ankeny, Iowa when customer Robert Golwitzer, Jr. left the drive-through without sauce for his nuggets.

What started as a simple complaint call quickly escalated to threats of physical violence and eventually, a bomb threat. While employees didn’t take Golwitzer seriously, they still reported the incident to police, who were able to call and confirm Golwitzer had made the bomb threats.

Golwitzer’s open admission of these threats to police landed him felony charges.

3. Taco Bell^® Meth Lab Supreme

In 2015, Taco Bell employees Christopher Mathous and Kent Duby turned their workplace in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, into a meth lab to sustain their highs on the job. Police discovered it while responding to a call about a suspicious person outside the restaurant one morning, who had a peeled lithium battery - a meth ingredient - on him.

Further investigation revealed lye, drain cleaner, and a mix of butane and propane fuels - all common ingredients used to make meth. Both men were arrested and faced with multiple drug-related charges while the Taco Bell closed for professional decontamination.

4. Subway^® Footlong Felon

In 2015, Fredrick Warren walked into a Subway and threatened the cashier with a knife before proceeding to take the money out of the register and leave.

Perhaps it was the smell of freshly baked bread, but Warran found himself with a craving only a sub sandwich could satisfy. He knew he couldn’t go back to the Subway he had just robbed, so he went to another sandwich shop called Potbelly^®, just 120 feet away and within view of the crime scene.

Police found Warran behind the Potbelly eating his sandwich and promptly took him into custody.

5. McDonald’s Cold Fries Case

Antoine Sims was nothing short of furious when he failed to hear his McDonald’s order number called and found himself with cold fries. While he was offered a refund, Sims, who was a murder suspect out of jail on bond with an active warrant for a missed court date, was not satisfied and began screaming, throwing things, and even calling 911 over the incident, prompting the owner of the McDonald’s to call 911 too.

Police arrived and asked Sims to not only leave, but also sign an agreement stating he would not return to the restaurant. Instead of signing the agreement, Sims fled on foot and was eventually tased and caught. Upon searching his fiancée’s car, officers found 31 grams of marijuana, which resulted in his arrest for failure to appear in court, violation of his probation, and drug charges.

From meth labs at Taco Bell to bomb threats over missing sauce at McDonald’s, these stories highlight the unpredictability that can unfold within the seemingly mundane setting of a fast-food joint. As we enjoy our next drive-through or dine-in experience, let’s hope it’s free from the drama that turned these ordinary eateries into scenes of extraordinary crime.

Reference: “The World’s Dumbest Fast Food Crimes.”