A young Cuban woman living in the United States took to TikTok to share a pivotal moment in her work life. Her candid recounting details the day an attempted robbery at her McDonald's workplace prompted her to quit on the spot. "Why did I leave McDonald's? I'll tell you right now," begins the user @dillianissollet in a video that has sparked a flurry of reactions on the social media platform.
She describes how the incident unfolded during her early morning shift, from six in the morning until two in the afternoon. "I started my shift at six as usual, and by seven, I was serving a customer at the Drive-Thru. After handing over the burger, I was preparing an iced coffee when an intruder came in to rob us. There were just two of us in the front, and he had one of those 'little toys'," she narrates, alluding to a weapon.
While her back was turned to the customer, preparing the coffee, her colleague alerted her to the danger: "She's the one who noticed what was happening and told me to run. I dashed out without even processing what was going on... As I reached the lobby door, I heard the sound of that 'little toy' going off."
She recalls the sheer terror and the speed with which she fled: "I had never known how fast I could run until that day... It was like being in fifth gear, what a scare!" In her panic, she abandoned everything: "I ran out, leaving everything behind—my phone, my bag, my car. I forgot about everything else."
A customer from the Drive-Thru also fled and caught up with her at a nearby traffic light. "She helped me, asked 'What happened? Let's call the police'," she explains. Visibly shaken by the memory, she recounts how her coworker drove her to her apartment, just five minutes away, though she could barely catch her breath from the shock. "I was so nervous; I didn't know what to do with myself."
Despite the ordeal, when she returned to McDonald's later that day, everything seemed to carry on as if nothing had happened: "People were nervous, but everyone kept working as usual... I was the only one who really pulled away."
She reveals that even her family was unaware of the incident. "My family doesn't know about this because it's hard to talk about," she says. "We're not prepared for things like that, at least not Cubans. People from other countries might have experienced such misfortunes, but we're not used to it."
She concluded her story with a heartfelt message to those working in vulnerable places: "Take care of yourself, remember that many people love you... life is worth more than anything else, blessings."
The video has garnered numerous comments. Some users praised her storytelling: "You made me laugh, not at what happened but at how you told it," wrote @eliosbtrodriguez. "Run, run as fast as you can!" joked @Yarenis. Others expressed sympathy: "What a fright, glad it was only that," commented @lisamariemartin717. "It was the best decision you made," opined Cira Maria Fernández. Some even related to her experience: "I saw the same at the hotel where I worked, even machete attacks and stray bullets. It was terrifying," shared @Tatiana Vega.
Understanding Workplace Safety Concerns
What prompted the Cuban woman to leave her job at McDonald's?
An attempted robbery at her McDonald's workplace led her to quit immediately due to the fear and danger she experienced.
How did the woman react during the robbery attempt?
She ran out of the restaurant in fear, leaving her belongings behind, after being alerted by her coworker about the danger.
Did the woman’s family know about the incident?
No, she mentioned that her family was not aware of the incident because it was difficult for her to talk about it.