A customer at a Waffle House in Tennessee found himself in a shocking situation involving a stun gun, bear spray, and zip ties after getting caught in the midst of a dispute among the staff, according to a recent lawsuit.
Gregory Lynn Hall, aged 62, has initiated a $300,000 legal claim against the restaurant chain following an incident in 2024. Hall alleges he was subjected to bear spray, tased, and restrained with plastic zip-tie handcuffs during the altercation.
The lawsuit indicates that Hall suffered “severe and permanent injuries” necessitating ongoing medical care, and claims he experienced “serious mental distress,” including insomnia and anxiety, as detailed in the complaint reviewed by the Independent.
Waffle House’s legal representatives, however, have countered these claims, suggesting that Hall was “rude and abusive” towards the staff. They stated that he was asked to leave but refused to comply.
The defense further contends that Hall’s refusal to exit led to a confrontation with a security guard. They argue that non-lethal force was appropriately used to remove him from the property after he ignored multiple requests to leave.
The incident unfolded shortly before midnight on May 4, 2024, when Hall entered the Nashville Waffle House location to place an order, setting off the chain of events.
Hall claimed a cook started yelling profanities at him and told him to go place his order at a pickup window.
When a female Waffle House worker approached the window to take his order, the cook allegedly unleashed a fresh stream of profanities at him and the employee, telling her to “get the f–k back over there.”
Hall said he asked the cook why he was using that kind of language toward an employee, but the cook allegedly barked back “that’s my f–king wife, you don’t tell me how to talk to her,” the suit said.
He then placed his order — a hashbrown bowl — and stepped away from the window to wait for his food.
However, apparently still “confused about the interaction,” Hall decided to take a picture inside the restaurant “in case something happened between the couple,” the complaint alleges.
After seeing him snap the photo, a uniformed security guard approached Hall and asked him to leave the restaurant, but he refused — saying he was going to wait for his food.
The complaint states the guard then went to his truck to retrieve a set of riot gear, went back inside and sprayed Hall’s with bear spray.
Hall “tried to back away,” but the guard followed him into the parking lot and “used a stun gun/taser” in him, at which point the suit claims the guard “put his knee in [Hall’s] back, pulled his arms behind him, then tied his hands with zip ties.”
Hall was taken to nearby Metro General Hospital.
Although the restaurant was quick to pin the blame for the clash on Hall, S&S Management, which employs the guard, claimed the worker “was acting outside the course and scope of his employment and in violation of its policies and procedures at the time of the alleged incident.”
Waffle House, which has over 2,000 locations across the US, has made headlines for several fights and brawls involving both customers and employees, as well as other bizarre incidents.
