A glitchy payment kiosk at Ford's Louisville truck factory ended a worker's 11-year career over a $1.95 cookie.
Kurt Kromm, 60, says he was fired after a machine failed to process his payment, even though he paid twice.
Kromm earned over $200,000 in 2025 working 60-hour weeks at the plant that builds the Super Duty, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator.
The factory employs more than 8,000 workers and generated $25 billion in revenue in 2023.
The Incident
Around 3:30 a. m.
on May 9, Kromm felt light-headed from low blood sugar and bought a Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookie from a factory kiosk.
After swiping his debit card, the machine showed a red screen indicating a failed transaction. He moved to another kiosk and paid successfully.
Seven days later, Kromm was called into a supervisor's office and told he was being fired for nonpayment.
Ford cited security camera footage that allegedly showed him not paying. He was escorted out immediately and barred from taking his tools.
Kromm refused to apologize, insisting he had paid. He later checked his bank statement and found the $1.95 debit card transaction.
He sent screenshots to Ford and his UAW representative.
Ford Backtracks
Two weeks later, the union informed Kromm that Ford required notarized bank statements. Aramark, the kiosk operator, confirmed to Ford on June 12 that Kromm had paid.
Ford then offered him his job back, but it was too late.
Kromm had already found a new job with a raise, earning $52.51 per hour plus a $10-per-hour bonus, closer to home.
He received over $28,000 in checks for lost wages, short of the $33,000 the union said he would get.
Ford declined to discuss the case but acknowledged it could have been handled differently.
Spokeswoman Jessica Enoch said, "We value our employees and want to be as fair as possible." Aramark's Chris Collom said the company fully cooperates with investigations.
Co-worker Victoria Thomas, a 34-year Ford electrician, said kiosk glitches are well known and have happened to her.
"I have friends who were terminated because they bought a $2 drink. Kurt was the only one who had documentation and he fought it," she said.
