Man sues fast-food chain over lack of hash browns, says his civil rights were violated

A North Carolina man has filed a lawsuit against the fast-food chain Hardee's, claiming one of its locations violated his civil rights when employees did not give him enough hash browns.The Fayetteville Observer reported Tommy Martin, who is black, said the May 2018 incident left him upset and gave him cibophobia, a fear of food. Martin says the chain's Belmont location withheld some of its Hash Rounds when he ordered them as a side with his breakfast platter. The paper reported a typical order of the side contains 12 Hash Rounds. Martin claims he only received two in his order.Martin told the Charlotte Observer he believes the incident was racially motivated because he was the only nonwhite person inside the restaurant.“It’s not a money issue,” Martin told the paper. “I just want to be treated fairly.”According to the lawsuit, the cashier attempted to rectify the issue of the missing Hash Rounds, before a manager allegedly told Martin, "That (sic) what you get." The manager did, however, refund his purchase, Martin said.Martin claims the location violated his 14th Amendment rights.“Got home with tear in mine (sic) eye,” Martin says in the lawsuit. “I have got to do something.”In a statement released to HuffPost, Hardee's said: “Hardee’s is aware of the lawsuit filed this week which alleges that a guests’ civil rights were violated while visiting one of our independently owned and operated franchised locations over a year ago. As a company we take these allegations seriously, however, as this lawsuit is pending against a franchisee, we have no additional comment on the matter at this time.”

A North Carolina man has filed a lawsuit against the fast-food chain Hardee's, claiming one of its locations violated his civil rights when employees did not give him enough hash browns.

The Fayetteville Observer reported Tommy Martin, who is black, said the May 2018 incident left him upset and gave him cibophobia, a fear of food.


Martin says the chain's Belmont location withheld some of its Hash Rounds when he ordered them as a side with his breakfast platter.

The paper reported a typical order of the side contains 12 Hash Rounds. Martin claims he only received two in his order.

Martin told the Charlotte Observer he believes the incident was racially motivated because he was the only nonwhite person inside the restaurant.

“It’s not a money issue,” Martin told the paper. “I just want to be treated fairly.”

According to the lawsuit, the cashier attempted to rectify the issue of the missing Hash Rounds, before a manager allegedly told Martin, "That (sic) what you get." The manager did, however, refund his purchase, Martin said.

Martin claims the location violated his 14th Amendment rights.

“Got home with tear in mine (sic) eye,” Martin says in the lawsuit. “I have got to do something.”

In a statement released to HuffPost, Hardee's said: “Hardee’s is aware of the lawsuit filed this week which alleges that a guests’ civil rights were violated while visiting one of our independently owned and operated franchised locations over a year ago. As a company we take these allegations seriously, however, as this lawsuit is pending against a franchisee, we have no additional comment on the matter at this time.”

