A California woman has pleaded guilty and received a sentence for assaulting a McDonald’s manager over a dispute about ketchup. Mayra Berenice Gallo, 24, was sentenced on April 12 to 18 days in jail and 15 days of community service for the incident, which occurred in October 2018 at a Santa Ana McDonald’s location, according to NBC 4.
Gallo was also ordered to attend an anger-management course and placed on informal probation for three years. The incident unfolded when Gallo, dissatisfied with the amount of ketchup she received with her drive-thru order, entered the restaurant through the employee back door, the OC Register reported.
According to KABC-TV, when a manager offered to assist her if she entered through the front, Gallo allegedly became combative. Surveillance video reportedly captured Gallo slamming the employee’s head into drink machines. Other employees attempted to intervene, but Gallo did not leave until a male companion arrived.
Following the incident, Gallo was arrested in November and charged with suspicion of assault at the Santa Ana Police Department Jail. “There’s no reason to physically assault someone because you didn’t get enough ketchup,” Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told KTLA-TV. This case highlights the potential for everyday frustrations to escalate into violent altercations and the legal consequences that can follow. The justice system has spoken, holding Gallo accountable for her actions. This incident serves as a reminder to practice gratitude and seek peaceful resolutions to conflict. The importance of behavior analysis in understanding and preventing such incidents is also highlighted.