A locksmith in Virginia was hired to replace the lock at a local Chick-fil-A. When he arrived, he met the restaurant’s owner, a woman, but for some reason refused to believe she actually owned the business. He was, of course, mistaken—and was fired on the spot.
The story was shared on TikTok by Shelita Jaclyn, who reportedly owns a Chick-fil-A in Chesapeake, Virginia. She explained that her husband, who handles facilities and maintenance, had hired a locksmith to change the restaurant’s locks.
A few days later, the locksmith arrived at the Chick-fil-A and asked to speak with the owner. Shelita came forward and asked whether he was there to change the locks. He said yes, but added that he needed to “get the okay from the owner.”
Shelita gave him her approval, but that still wasn’t enough for the locksmith. According to her, he replied, “No, ma’am. I need you to go get the owner so I can make sure it is okay with him for me to get started.”
The Virginia business owner told him that she was the owner, but the locksmith insisted he had spoken with a man on the phone. That man, of course, was Shelita’s husband.
“That’s amazing, and irrelevant. Two things can be true,” Shelita clapped back. However, the locksmith responded, “Well, I’m gonna have to call and confirm.” When she asked why, he raised a finger toward Shelita’s face, signaling for her to be quiet.
Virginia TikTokers Agree with the Owner’s Actions
The locksmith called Shelita’s husband. As expected, he explained that he wasn’t the owner—his wife was. Stunned, the Virginia contractor hung up the phone and, in silence, slowly transformed from a “confident contractor” into a “Windows 95 error screen,” Shelita joked.
Without apologizing, the now-visibly shaken man told Shelita that he could get approval directly from her. By that point, however, she had had enough.
“You could, but you won’t,” she told the locksmith. “I will pay someone else to accomplish that task today. The task I have for you is, remember moving forward: it is a lot cheaper to show respect than it is to lose out on a contract or an opportunity.”
Shelita ended her clip by addressing women leaders, regardless of their profession, urging them not to shrink themselves “in a room that you help build.”
The clip has been viewed nearly 3 million times, with thousands of people saying they were eager to visit her Virginia Chick-fil-A in the hopes of meeting Shelita.
“I absolutely love this is where we’re at in our society: accountability and consequences.”
Another commented.
“Her Chick-fil-A is in Chesapeake, VA, across from Greenbrier Mall. One of the best in the area!“
Now, many people are looking forward to going to this establishment.
