Here’s a lesson for all food service workers who intend on punching out a customer — be sure to clock out before you unleash your fists of fury in the parking lot.

According to police in Lower Paxton Township, PA., a verbal argument at the local Burger King escalated from words to violence yesterday, when an employee at the BK actually stepped out of the eatery to throw a punch — and a beverage — at a customer in the parking lot; but not until after he’d told his manager to clock him out.

The customer says he was attempting to place an order at the drive-thru but that the employee refused to display the price of an item. At some point in their back-and-forth, the customer apparently used an unspecified “derogatory” term to describe the employee.

That’s when the employee ditched his headphones, clocked out and socked the customer in the side of the head. Police say the customer suffered swelling and a bruise from the punch.

The police are going to charge the employee, who presumably did not clock back in, with simple assault. Meanwhile, he’ll probably be named employee of the month for being so conscientious about recording his hours on the job.

Burger King employee clocked out before attacking customer, Lower Paxton police say [PennLive.com]

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