Despite her viral display of a tireless work ethic while running every station at a Burger King in South Carolina by herself, Nykia Hamilton, better known online as the “Burger King Mom,” is now out of a job.
In a recent emotional TikTok video, Hamilton tearfully updated followers about her situation, Complex reported.
“[Burger King] fired me because I’ve been late because of my kids,” she explained through tears. “My kids come first. Y’all don’t pay for no babysitter, or nothing.”
Hamilton, a 25-year-old single mother of three from Columbia, South Carolina, first captured national attention in July after a customer recorded her working an entire shift alone when a co-worker quit mid-shift. The footage showed her preparing food, running the drive-thru, cleaning, and working the front counter, all while managing the store’s pace on her own.
The clip quickly went viral, sparking widespread admiration and outrage at her circumstances. At the time, she described the toll of her work to local media.
“I be missing out on my kids’ lives when I work so much,” Hamilton told WACH News. “I have to provide for them, but I really don’t have time to spend with them—and it hurts me a lot.”
Shortly after the video spread, Hamilton launched a GoFundMe to support herself and her children. Initially set at $60,000, the fundraising goal was recently raised to $70,000 as contributions continued to pour in. She is now close to reaching that updated target, with hundreds of donors offering financial support to help ease the burden of her sudden job loss.
Alongside the generosity, Hamilton has also spoken candidly about the pitfalls of viral fame she never asked for. While the attention brought financial help and an outpouring of support, it has also left her vulnerable and exposed during an already difficult time.
“I’m already aggravated, I’m already depressed, all of this mental shit, and motherf— f— with me, so leave me alone,” she said during her emotional update. “I ain’t want no fame, no money, none of this s—.”
On her GoFundMe page, Hamilton wrote, “I wasn’t expecting my life to change how it did. I really do everything for my kids.”
