A former Smoothie King worker claims he was fired after posting a viral video complaining about customers touching his hand.
In the 22-second video, originally posted on Jan. 29, 2020, TikToker Ashton Ray (@ashray) faces the camera. He kicks off the video, addressing viewers, “Hi, PSA: Whenever I hand you your card and receipt, you don’t have to caress my hand.”
As he says this, he demonstrates this annoyance, showing how customers often trail their hands on top of his as they grab their cards and receipts through the drive-thru window. “I don’t know you like that,” he continues. “You don’t have to touch me to take your card. You can just grab it.”
He pauses. “Someone just pulled up,” he reveals. He then slams his fist on the table, and yells, “I … hate this job.”
He takes a moment to compose himself before turning on the drive-thru microphone he is wearing. “Hi, welcome to Smoothie King. Give me one moment, and I will be right with you,” he says to the customer through his headset.
He then briefly turns his headset off.
Without missing a beat, he continues his rant. ”You don’t have to touch me to grab your card, you can just grab it,” he says.
The text over the video reads, “This video got me fired from this job.” Ashton Ray has re-uploaded this popular video four years after originally posting it. The video caption reads: “This HAUNTS me… @smoothieking TAKE ME BACK!!! #onthisday.”
@ashray this HAUNTS me… @smoothieking TAKE ME BACK!!! #onthisday #fyp ♬ original sound – Ashton RAY💜
The viral video has 188,000 views and hundreds of comments. Many viewers related to Ashton’s grievances, sharing similar experiences working the drive-thru window.
“For real, the older men be the ones caressing my hand like sir just take ur receipt without touching my hand,” one viewer shared. “I’ll go wash my hands immediately after and glare at them,” another shared about dealing with customers who touch their hands when grabbing receipts and cards.
Another added, “I work at a smoothie king this is too accurate, especially when I hand then their change.”
Other viewers remarked on Ashton Ray’s humor and shared that this video was the reason they followed him. “OMG, I remember this video!!! lol, back when TikTOK was refreshing to get on,” one shared. Another added, “lol this video is what made me follow you.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Ashton Ray and Smoothie King for comment via email.
