Get All Access for $5/mo

Panda Express Customer Attacks, Stabs Employee Over Food Order The stabbed employee was taken to the hospital for their injuries and later released.

By Sam Silverman

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

A Panda Express customer allegedly assaulted two employees after being dissatisfied with his food.

Phillip Person, 33, of Missouri, allegedly stabbed a Panda Express employee in the lower back and punched another in the head at the Richmond Heights location around 3:50 p.m. on Dec. 6, according to local news outlet KSDK.

The incident reportedly occurred after Person demanded a refund for his half-eaten order without a receipt, the restaurant manager told the outlet.

RELATED: Panda Express Will Pay 'Hundreds of Thousands' of Customers in Class Action Lawsuit Over This Common Sneaky Practice — See If You're Owed, Too

Employees replaced his order, and Person left. But he quickly returned to throw the food in the workers' faces and attacked employees as he was escorted out of the restaurant.

The stabbed employee was taken to the hospital for their injuries and later released, according to News Nation.

Person fled the scene before police found and arrested him with the knife. He has been charged with two felonies, including first-degree assault and armed criminal action, as well as a misdemeanor of fourth-degree assault, according to KSDK.

RELATED: Meet the Billionaire Couple Behind Panda Express, Who Built a $3 Billion Fortune Selling 90 Million Pounds of Orange Chicken Each Year

He was taken into custody at the St. Louis County Justice Center on a $250,000 bond.

The store manager and the attacked employees have yet to be identified.

"The health and safety of our associates and guests is our top priority. We are grateful for the quick action of law enforcement and first responders, and thankful that our injured associates are on the path to recovery," Panda Express said in a statement. "We will continue to cooperate with local authorities as they continue their investigation. Out of privacy for those involved, we are unable to comment further."

Sam Silverman

Content Strategy Editor

Sam Silverman is a content strategy editor at Entrepreneur Media. She specializes in search engine optimization (SEO), and her work can be found in The US Sun, Nicki Swift, In Touch Weekly, Life & Style and Health. She writes for our news team with a focus on investigating scandals. Her coverage and expertise span from business news, entrepreneurship, technology, and true crime, to the latest in entertainment and TV news. Sam is a graduate of Lehigh University and currently resides in NYC. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Franchise 500 Annual Ranking

50 Franchise CMOs Who Are Changing the Game

Get to know the industry's most influential marketing power players.

Leadership

7 Telltale Signs of a Weak Leader

Whether a bully or a people pleaser who can't tell hard truths, poor leadership takes many forms.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.