DALLAS — An employee of Texas-based fast-food chain Whataburger has been fired after refusing to serve two Dallas-area police officers, the company said on Wednesday.

The chain, which has more than 700 restaurants around the country, also apologized and offered the officers complimentary meals.

Cameron Beckham of the Milford Police Department and Michael Magovern, a deputy with the Strawn City Marshal’s Office, were in uniform and tried to grab a burger in Lewisville before an off-duty security job on Tuesday evening. They were told by a worker that the restaurant does not serve police, broadcaster CBS-DFW reported.

“We were appalled to hear of an employee refusing service to two officers, as we have proudly served first responders across our system for decades,” Whataburger said in a statement. “The employee that refused service is no longer employed with Whataburger.”

The employee has not been identified.

“He said it with a straight face, no smile and just stared at us,” Magovern told the television station. “Even if he was joking, I’m not going to eat here because I don’t trust that.”

After the incident, the officers took their business to a nearby Dairy Queen, according to local media.