A white Burger King employee who was filmed wearing blackface while serving customers at a drive-thru in the United States on October 31 has sparked controversy online, prompting a response from the fast-food chain.

The incident was captured in a video recorded by a customer at the drive-thru window and has since gone viral on social media.

In the footage, the employee, whose face appeared to be covered in dark paint, told the customer, “I’m just Black today.”

She went on to defend her appearance, suggesting that wearing blackface was acceptable “as long as you have a good heart”.

When the customer asked, “So Black lives matter?”, referencing the US racial justice movement, the employee shook her head and responded, “Well no, I just wanna be Black.”

The incident is believed to have occurred at a Burger King outlet at 1501 7th Street NW in Faribault, Minnesota, although the location has not been officially confirmed.

According to a report by ABC6 News, Burger King has since condemned the incident, describing the employee’s behaviour as unacceptable and vowing to prevent a recurrence.

“We are aware of the video and take the matter very seriously. The franchisee of this location is addressing the situation with his team, manager and team members to ensure everyone involved understands why this is not acceptable and won’t happen again,” the fast-food chain was quoted as saying by ABC6 News on Monday.