Management nightmare of the week: ‘Caiman through the drive-thru window’
Anyone who’s worked in the business for awhile knows the drive-thru often tempts customers to behave in ways they never would have dreamed if they were ordering at a counter. The Einstein who pulled up to a Wendy’s in Florida wouldn’t have had a shot at the week’s dopiest-prankster title if he’d tried to pull off his stunt inside the restaurant. People have a tendency of noticing a three-foot-long alligator tucked under a fellow patron’s arm.
Twenty-three-year-old Joshua James had the reptile in his truck when he rolled up to the drive-thru last fall. After he was handed the drink portion of his order, James hurled the alligator through the window like a watermelon.
Pause and consider that scenario: A busy kitchen, several staffers likely zipping around the drive-thru station, customers at the front counter, and an alligator, presumably snapping and scurrying around, lands right in the middle of it.
James’ mother said her sugarplum was merely intending to play a practical joke on a friend who works in the restaurant. Instead, James was arrested this week, and his crime became the hot topic of countless water cooler and online conversations. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, having an alligator in his possession and transporting the beast without the required permits. The alligator was released on its own recognizance.