Single mom who went viral for covering 12-hour Burger King shift alone says she's been fired — for being late

Nykia Hamilton, the South Carolina mom who went viral in July after a customer recorded her running an entire Burger King shift on her own, says she’s now out of work. According to The New York Post, the 25-year-old single mother of three revealed in an emotional TikTok update on her page @kianolabel that the franchise fired her earlier this month. "[Burger King] fired me because I’ve been late because of my kids. My kids come first. Y’all don’t pay for no babysitter, or nothing," Hamilton said through tears. Scoop Upworthy had originally covered the story when Hamilton went viral for covering a 12-hour shift all alone.  

Hamilton first caught national attention after footage spread showing her sprinting from the drive-thru to the fryer, cleaning, prepping, and working the counter all at once when a co-worker quit mid-shift. The video sparked admiration and outrage as viewers watched her try to manage an entire restaurant on her own. At the time, Hamilton told local media that the job left her missing out on moments with her children.

"I have to provide for them, but I really don’t have time to spend with them — and it hurts me a lot," she said. But in her recent update, Hamilton said the viral fame came with painful drawbacks. "I ain’t want no fame, no money, none of this," she said, "My mind is already messed up. I’m trying to keep pushing for my kids, but I cannot do this anymore."

A 2023 report underscored just how common retaliation is when employees speak up, with 46% of employees saying they faced retaliation after reporting an issue. The same study found that 42% of victims never reported harassment at all, and 58% of those who did felt their employer mishandled the complaint. Those numbers highlight the chilling reality that many workers stay silent out of fear, and those who dare to raise their voices often pay a heavy price.

Burger King has since confirmed that Hamilton was fired, citing "attendance issues." In a statement, the company spokesperson said, "No Team Member should ever be left to run a restaurant alone, even for a short period of time. That’s not how we operate, and we’re disappointed that our policy wasn’t followed." The spokesperson added that terminations are ultimately the decision of franchise owners. Despite the setback, the attention helped her launch a GoFundMe to support her family. Initially set at $60,000, the goal was later raised to $70,000, and donations have now surpassed $81,000. In another video, she thanked everyone for 'blessing' her, saying the donations helped her pay her mother's rent for two months.

The news sparked outrage online, resurfacing on Reddit after being posted by u/Sunshineal. Many people criticized the franchise for turning its back on Hamilton so quickly after her viral moment brought the brand attention. u/matt95110 wrote, "There was no way she was keeping her job after the bad publicity for the owners. They were just looking for an excuse to get rid of her."

u/Sharpshooter188 added, "This is why I don’t go above and beyond. Management doesn’t really give a f*** at all when you do it. But they will make absolutely sure you get the message when you’re late or fuck up in some way. I’m not surprised at all that the store manager pulled this." u/judithishere commented, "Fired for being late due to family obligations of a single mom. I wish people would picket/boycott that location and shut it down. Absolutely beyond the pale." u/Nelyahin noted, "Honestly, it shows companies like this don’t care about quality. I hope nothing but the best for her."

You can follow Nykia Hamilton (@kianolabel) on TikTok for more updates about her journey.

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