Shocking brawl breaks out at McDonald's over 'free soft drink'

A violent brawl has unfolded between a customer and workers at a US McDonald’s restaurant, reportedly sparked when a woman attempted to pour herself a free soft drink.

Footage captured and shared by customer Marie Dayag shows the diner and employee trading barbs from across the room before a chip is thrown over the counter.

According to the Nevada resident, the chaotic scenes ignited when a customer asked for a free cup of water before attempting to use it at the self-service soft drink machine. She was denied when the worker switched the machine off.

All hell breaks loose when a milkshake is launched over the counter and the pair come face-to-face. The customer then picks up her tray and strikes the McDonald’s staff member in the face.

The Instagram footage shows the worker punching the customer repeatedly, holding her down against the countertop and even launching her into a booth.

Another employee can be seen trying to diffuse the situation before she is also struck, adding even more chaos to the unruly situation.

The second employee then joins in the action and begins hitting the woman as the customer struggles to keep her shirt on.

After several more strikes, all parties go in their separate directions before the customer picks up a metal chair and considers one more attack, before she is again pushed away.

The brawl has sparked widespread comment across social media. However, when it comes to any escalating situation, self-defense expert Gabrielle Rubin tells Yahoo that. “I believe it is best to try and avoid anything physical,” she says. “First and foremost, you should protect yourself but never initiate or retaliate. You don’t know if they have a weapon, have friends with them, or have training in fighting.”

If you’re in a situation that’s escalating, Rubin recommends using your voice to try to calm the other person, yelling for help, or yelling for the person to stop. If the person starts attacking you from a distance but hasn’t laid hands on you, it’s smart to try to move away and, again, use your voice to try to stop the attack. “Put your hands up to not only protect yourself but to create a barrier,” she says, adding that a nonverbal gesture like this sometimes can get through to someone who isn’t hearing you.

Above all, it’s important to do what you can to try to calm down the situation, if you can. “You never want any situation to escalate. It will only get worse,” Rubin says. “Don’t go to their level; try to bring them down.” That means speaking in a calm voice if the person is yelling, and keeping yourself in check if someone is trying to start a physical fight, although that can be easier said than done.

“It’s hard to not mimic behavior; meaning, if someone attacks you, it’s normal for you to want to turn around and respond physically,” Rubin says. “You have a right to protect yourself, but it didn’t start out physical. If hands are not on you, it’s best to avoid getting physical. Just get away from them.”

Yahoo has contacted McDonald’s for comment.