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Three employees at a South Carolina Wendy's have been arrested after allegedly taking a customer's complained-about order from the trash, spitting on it, and then serving the contaminated food back to her in a disturbing act of retaliation.

Aaliyah Shuntai Sanders, 23, Trinity Lashell Rice, 19, and Shadela Crystal Holley were each charged with tampering with a human drug product or food item following the May 31 incident at the Union location.

The customer had ordered through the drive-thru but was unhappy with her meal. After requesting a refund, staff took the food back but offered to remake it. She accepted the replacement and drove away — only to receive a phone call from someone at the restaurant revealing that an employee had retrieved her original order from the trash and spat on it.

When she examined the “new” meal, she realized it was the same contaminated food. She immediately reported the incident to police and contacted the manager, who confirmed speaking with the staff and verifying the allegations. All three employees were written up internally.

The suspects were arrested separately between June 16 and June 22.

This stomach-turning case exposes a shocking breach of basic trust and hygiene at one of America’s most popular fast-food chains. For a customer simply expecting a decent meal after a legitimate complaint, the alleged response was not only unsanitary but potentially dangerous. The fact that multiple employees reportedly participated makes the incident even more alarming.

While the company has not issued a detailed public statement, the arrests underscore that tampering with food is a serious criminal offense with real consequences. As the case proceeds, it serves as a stark warning for both consumers to stay vigilant and for restaurant workers that frustration should never lead to harmful actions.