Chili’s customers suffer chemical burns after dangerous margarita mix-up
A cleaning chemical was mistaken for a bar ingredient at a Chili’s restaurant in Forest City, North Carolina, and used to prepare margaritas. Customers and staff suffered chemical burns or similar symptoms, prompting a health investigation and a temporary suspension of the restaurant’s food service permit.
Preliminary findings say an industrial degreaser was put in an unlabelled container on Monday and left in the bar area; on Wednesday, an employee mistook it for sugar or salt. Three customers drank the contaminated margaritas and two employees also reported symptoms after tasting the substance. Chili’s said two guests and team members were injured, differing from the health district’s count of three affected customers; the permit was reinstated on Thursday after inspectors found other food safety standards were met.
In short
- Degreaser was mistaken for a margarita ingredient.
- Three customers and two employees reportedly suffered symptoms.
- The restaurant’s permit was suspended, then reinstated.
Explained simply
Chili’s is a restaurant chain that serves food and drinks, including margaritas, which are cocktails often made with tequila, citrus juice and a sweet or salty rim. Restaurants must keep cleaning products separate from ingredients so they cannot be used in food or drink by mistake.
The Forest City restaurant is in North Carolina, in the south-eastern United States. Local health officials inspect restaurants and can restrict food service when they find a safety risk; a permit allows a restaurant to serve food under local rules.
The case raises questions about how cleaning chemicals are stored and handled in busy restaurant settings. It also shows why health officials investigate reports of illness or injury and check that safety procedures are being followed.