A former Burger King employee who was fired after running an entire restaurant by herself has seen her life change in recent weeks.
Nykia Hamilton, a 25-year-old single mother of three, went viral after a TikTok video showed her managing an entire Burger King location by herself during a 12-hour shift.
Hamilton was filmed juggling everything from flipping burgers and handling the drive-thru to preparing food, cleaning, and managing customer orders — all while working without any support from coworkers.
The video, filmed by a customer at the Columbia, South Carolina, Burger King, quickly went viral, drawing widespread support and sympathy.
"Y’all need to get her some help up in here because she’s busting her behind," the customer exclaimed as Hamilton worked tirelessly to keep the restaurant running.
The clip received hundreds of thousands of views, sparking outrage about poor working conditions in fast food and pushing people to call for better treatment of employees.
Despite the overwhelming support, the viral moment would soon take a dark turn.
Just over a month later, Hamilton posted a TikTok announcing that she had been fired from her job at the fast-food chain.
"They fired me because I’ve been late because of my kids," she sobbed in the emotional video, explaining that the challenges of being a single mom made it difficult to keep up with her shifts, especially when childcare was unavailable.
Hamilton’s firing, which was attributed to “attendance issues,” quickly ignited more controversy.
Burger King confirmed the decision was made by the franchise owner, not the corporate office, though they did express disappointment over the situation, per the New York Post.
A company spokesperson stated that "no team member should ever be left to run a restaurant alone," adding that the staffing issue violated their policy of having more than one team member per shift.
Hamilton’s dismissal did not go unnoticed.
Supporters rallied behind her, with many parents and workers empathizing with her struggle to balance childcare with her job.
In response to the outpouring of support, Hamilton set up a GoFundMe campaign to help her family stay afloat as she sought new employment.
The campaign quickly gained traction, raising over $130,000 in just over a week. Hamilton has been overwhelmed by the generosity, which she called "life-changing."
With the donations, she has started planning for her family's future, including buying a house - a dream she had long thought unattainable - and setting aside $10,000 in savings for each of her children.
In addition to the financial support, Hamilton has received numerous job offers from various industries, including hospitality, insurance sales, and even a position at Target, per the Daily Mail.
She has also considered starting her own business, possibly in cleaning services, so she can have more control over her schedule and be there for her children.