A fast food employee has been placed on leave after they called the police on a black family

In the social media age, people in general are lot more of aware of what's going on in their society. Whereas before, local scandalmakers or serial cheaters could go their entire lives without being exposed, the technology available to us means that people get called on their nonsense a lot more.

That's one of the reasons we've had quite a few outrageous stories coming from restaurants and supermarkets, including this one involving a fast food employee and a black family. Out in Coweta County, Georgia, Felicia and Othniel Dobson were with their four children (and their children's aunt) on vacation from North Carolina, when the family got hungry, as families are wont to do.

“I have a 24-year-old sister who’s a recent graduate of North Carolina A&T (State University). My daughter’s 19. She’s entering sophomore year at Wake Forest University,” said Felicia of her family.

The Dobson family stopped at the restaurant, and everything seemed to be going to plan.

But, around an hour later, an employee frantically dialled 911. "I need somebody to come through here please, ASAP. Now," the employee reportedly said. "There's about eight people in a van, and they've been in the store for about an hour. They keep going back and forth to the bathrooms by my back door."

According to police, the employee also revealed that she thought the family were using water cups to steal soda, and before long, law enforcement showed up to address the issue. But before long, the officer was forced to apologise to the family.

It emerged that the employee had been robbed before, and that she was wary of being robbed again, but speaking to local news outlets, Felicia Dobson expressed her doubt that the employee viewed herself and her family as a threat, implying their was a racial element to the employee's actions that day.

"I don't think she ever felt threatened," Felicia Dobson said. "We can't change our skin color. I have great kids. I have a great family." For the food franchise's part in the incident, they have expressed their sincere regret that the Dobsons have been treated in such a manner.

Franchise owner Rosh Patel said in a statement: "I take this very seriously, and I am fully investigating.I have also used this opportunity to reiterate to my staff the importance of making everyone feel welcome." He also revealed that the employee in question had been placed on leave, and that he had spoken personally to the Dobsons.

It's just one of many racially-charged incidents that have occurred recently at restaurants all over the United States. Last month, a black woman was attacked with hot sauce and racial slurs at a food truck, while a restaurant manager was fired for unnecessarily calling the cops on a black sorority.

As these incidents get more and more airtime, let's hope that in future, people are deterred from acting so awfully in restaurants. I'm getting a little tired of writing about them, to be honest.