This South Carolina mom of 3 was left to run entire Burger King by herself for 12+ hours. Then BK responded

In Columbia, South Carolina a TikTok video is making the rounds, showing single mom Nykia Hamilton tirelessly running the entire restaurant by herself — something she says has happened often.

In a now-viral interview with local South Carolina outlet WACH FOX 57, Hamilton claimed she was repeatedly left alone to run the restaurant where she works, taking orders, making food, cleaning and running the drive-thru without backup. Shifts can sometimes last over 12 hours, which was the case that day.

“I be missing out on my kids’ lives when I work so much,” Hamilton told WACH FOX. “I have to provide for them, but I really don’t have time to spend with them—and it hurts me a lot.”

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Labor shortages squeezing fast-food chains

As the labor market continues to shift post-pandemic, restaurants, especially large fast-food chains, have struggled to recruit and retain workers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the accommodation and food services sector still has one of the highest quit rates in the country.

Low wages, long hours, and understaffed shifts are a few of the reasons.

In Hamilton’s case, she says she’s had to stay late or pull long shifts solo, forcing her to choose between showing up for her job and showing up for her kids.

The original TikTok sparked a wave of sympathy and concern, with many pointing out that understaffed fast-food chains are becoming all too common: “Someone like this at the McDonald’s by Rushes and the Starbucks by Blossom Buffet. Girl was in there ALLL by herself at 11 at night. Scary as hell,” commented TikTok user Michaila Busbee.

While major chains like Burger King and McDonald’s have made public commitments to improve worker retention and compensation, stories like Hamilton’s suggest those promises may not always reach the frontline. Burger King’s employee retention score on business rating and comparison site Comparably sits in the bottom 10% of similarly sized companies.

“One of my employees just quit on me, and they didn’t have anyone else to come in, so I had to work by myself, and close by myself,” Hamilton said.

In response to the situation, Burger King released a statement to WACH FOX:

“At Burger King, it is our policy that all company and franchise owned restaurants require more than one Team Member to be working per shift. We are working with the Franchisee of this location to understand what happened and take any necessary action.”

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What to do if you’re working under similar conditions

If you’re an employee facing extreme understaffing or unsafe expectations, here are a few steps you can take:

• Document everything: Keep a written log or take photos of conditions.

• Know your rights: OSHA laws protect workers from unsafe working environments. You can file a complaint anonymously.

• Talk to others: If coworkers are facing similar problems, consider speaking up together.

• Look into worker resources: Local legal aid clinics, employment lawyers and even union reps may be able to help.

Employees asked to cover multiple roles may experience burnout, health issues, and family strain. They may also miss out on breaks or overtime protections, or feel too afraid to speak up out of fear of losing their job.

And for consumers? That strain often shows up in slower service, incorrect orders or even temporary closures — not to mention increasing menu prices as labor costs rise.

A loyal and committed worker

Despite the long hours and missing her family, Hamilton says she’s grateful to even have the job.

“I wouldn’t have no job because I do have a record, and it is hard to find a job with a record. And by grace of God, she gave me a job. So that’s the only reason why I stayed for her,” she said, referring to her manager.

Hamilton says she finally received support the following day — after another shift running everything by herself.

“I closed again by myself last night. I finally got help today. 11 o’clock and will stay until close at 11. We just don’t have any employees. Nobody wants to work anymore.”

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.