A black couple who couple questioned their bill in a Waffle House bill both ended up being handcuffed and arrested, in the latest incident at the chain.
The couple, identified in a police report as Donald Copeland and Ms. Hart, placed a to-go order at the Waffle House in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
They disputed the price of a juice which they say was listed as $1, but for which they were charged $2.50.
As Copeland attempted to call a corporate 1-800 number to further dispute the bill, Waffle House employees called the police, saying the man was ‘being irate, screaming and cussing.’
At the start of the video, the man identified by police as Donald Copeland can be seen arguing with staff at the Waffle House as well as on the phone making a complaint about his bill
After one of the two officers goes inside the the restaurant, Copeland then emerges with his hands in the air
Body cam footage from one of the officers shows him beckoning Copeland, who is on the phone, to ‘come here!’ and then says ‘oh I’m going to put my hands on you, get out here!’.
He is seen inside arguing with the operator on the 1-800 number as his girlfriend explains they are leaving but want to sort out the issue of the bill.
The officer says the man should come outside and talk to him ‘like a man’.
Another officer then goes inside the restaurant and the Copeland comes out with his hands in the air and then turns to the left.
The officer asks Copeland, whose hands are still in the air, to pay his bill warning him if he doesn’t pay his bill ‘you’re going to jail’.
After he continues to shout about the bill, the officer eventually took out his handcuffs and Taser.
While the other officer points his Taser at Copeland, his colleague then handcuffs the Copeland and then leads him to a waiting squad car, as his girlfriend shines the torch on her phone at him.
Copeland and one of the officers, who has by now withdrawn his Taser, continue to argue about the bill
Copeland is placed in the back of a police car. Waffle House says it is investigating the dispute but said it has ‘a very diverse customer base and workforce’
She is also handcuffed, at which point she starts crying and saying that has done nothing wrong.
The footage was posted by Footage posted by activist and journalist Shaun King.
‘The man being arrested here refused to pay for a $1.50 overcharge on an orange juice that was listed as $1.00 on the menu. That’s all,’ wrote King.
‘When they refused to change the charge he demanded to talk to customer service.’
The woman returned to the Waffle House location later and received a full refund, it was reported.
Waffle House said as ‘anyone who has dined with us knows, we have a very diverse customer base and workforce’ adding that an investigation was underway into the incident at Walton Beach.
The incident comes after arrest in April of 25-year-old Chikesia Clemons at the Waffle House restaurant on in Alabama
Video of the incident shows three officers briefly speaking with a visibly agitated Clemons moments before forcefully pulling her from a chair and pinning her to the ground of the Waffle House.
In May, Waffle House employees called police on 22-year-old Anthony Wall after he got into an argument with several workers in North Carolina.
Wall, who is black, was dressed in a tuxedo and had just taken his teen sister to prom.
Video shows a white officer slamming the black teenager against a window, then turning him around before gripping the teen’s neck.