When an American CEO said he gave employees a $1.5 million bonus because he didn’t want to get shot
Jerry Murrell, CEO of fast-food chain Five Guys, gave a $1.5 million bonus to all store employees. But the reason was not what anyone was expecting. The CEO was just scared and didn’t want to meet him.luigi mangione‘ anytime soon. Earlier this year, the CEO candidly admitted that his kindness was only to save his back and that he did not want to take the bullet.In February, Five Guys held a two-for-one promotion to celebrate their 40th anniversary. They thought it would be like another promotion but the response was unexpected. Their app crashed and many outlets had to quickly withdraw the offer.Toofan followed him on social media. The company apologized and resumed the offer after a break. “You came to our restaurant in huge numbers, and we were not prepared for you. We didn’t live up to our standards and that’s not something we take lightly. That’s why we’re asking for it to end,” a statement from the company in March read.Employees bore the brunt of consumer frustration, and that’s when Murrell, 82, decided to write his employees $1,500 checks ($1,000 per affected store), he said in an interview with Fortune.He joked, “I didn’t want anyone shooting in my back or anything after the first day, because we really screwed it up. We didn’t know we were going to get that kind of reaction.”Murrell said he took the money from funds he was going to use to buy a fur coat for his wife. “She still looks at me like I’m an idiot,” he said. “But I thought it was worth it. They worked so hard. They were so overwhelmed.”
‘Thank you Luigi’
Whenever a story of Murrell’s ‘kindness’ goes viral, social media users thank Luigi Mangione for the fear he instilled among CEOs. In 2024, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed and Luigi Mangione was charged with murder, although he pleaded not guilty.Commenting on Murrell’s story, one said, “At least he’s honest. Most CEOs just throw pizza parties; this guy chose a different kind of ‘insurance’ policy.” Another wrote, “Imagine being so rich that you can pay for peace of mind while eating a burger. The American Dream is truly thriving.”