Papa John's Racist Voicemail From Delivery Man Forces CEO to Apologize
A Papa John's pizza delivery man was fired after he left a racially charged message on a customer's voicemail, causing the company's CEO to issue an apology.
John Schnatter, Papa John's Chairman and CEO, issued a formal apology to a customer in Sanford, Fla., after news of the racially tinged message became public.
The message was uploaded on YouTube by the customer on Sunday and the driver can be heard making racist remarks about Sanford, the same community still recovering from the Trayvon Martin's shooting last year.
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"I guess that's the only requirement for being a n----- in Sanford," the driver can be heard saying in the video in response to the tip he received. "Yeah, they give me five bucks there -- fine outstanding African-American gentleman of the community."
Local reports previously indicated that the driver inadvertently dialed the customer's number after delivering the order. But after news of the incident spread the next day, Schnatter posted an apology for the remarks on Papa John's Facebook page.
"Friends, I am extremely concerned to learn about the reprehensible language used by two former employees in one of our restaurants. Their thinking and actions defy both my personal and the company's values, and everything for which this company stands. The employees responsible for this absolutely unacceptable behavior were immediately terminated," the post reads.
"My heartfelt apology goes out to the customer involved, his family, and our community at large. I am very sorry that anyone would be exposed to these hurtful and painful words by any person involved in any way with our company," the statement added.
Schnatter did go on to add in the statement that he personally reached out to the customer to convey his sincerest apologies.
"Thank you for your important comments. I have personally reached out to our customer to share my own thoughts and offer my deepest apology," he stated.
