Nykia Hamilton, the woman known online as the “Burger King Mom,” is now jobless despite once going viral for her relentless work ethic.
Hamilton, 25, became internet-famous in July after a customer filmed her single-handedly running every station at a Burger King in Columbia, South Carolina. With no co-workers, she prepared food, worked the drive-thru, cleaned, and managed the front counter all on her own.
The video spread quickly, drawing admiration and outrage as people watched the single mother of three fight through impossible circumstances. But now, she says, that same job has let her go.
In a tearful TikTok update, Hamilton explained why. “[Burger King] fired me because I’ve been late because of my kids,” she said. “My kids come first. Y’all don’t pay for no babysitter, or nothing.”
Hamilton told WACH News earlier this summer that the workload was crushing. “I be missing out on my kids’ lives when I work so much,” she said. “I have to provide for them, but I really don’t have time to spend with them—and it hurts me a lot.”
To help make ends meet, she launched a GoFundMe after her video went viral. The campaign, originally set at $60,000, was raised to $70,000 as donations poured in. Hundreds of supporters have chipped in, putting her close to the new goal.
But Hamilton has also been honest about the darker side of sudden internet fame. While the attention brought money and support, it also exposed her during a vulnerable time. “I’m already aggravated, I’m already depressed… leave me alone,” she said in her update. “I ain’t want no fame, no money, none of this s—.”
On her GoFundMe page, she summed up her fight: “I wasn’t expecting my life to change how it did. I really do everything for my kids.”