# Degreaser mistaken for sugar burns five at North Carolina restaurant

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/chilis-customers-suffer-horrific-chemical-burns-after-sipping-margaritas-at-north-carolina-restaurant/
- Published: 2026-10-31T02:07:47+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-31T02:32:25+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16253943/Chilis-customers-suffer-horrific-chemical-burns-sipping-margaritas.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Culture, Food, World

## Key points

- Three customers and two employees suffered chemical burns.
- Degreaser was mistaken for sugar in margaritas.
- Health officials suspended the restaurant’s food service permit.

## Summary

Three customers and two employees suffered chemical burns after an industrial degreaser was mistaken for sugar and used in margaritas at a Chili’s in Forest City, North Carolina. The incident prompted health officials to suspend the restaurant’s food service permit and investigate how the chemical was stored and handled.

Preliminary findings say a contractor provided the granulated cleaner on Monday, and it was left in an unlabelled container in the bar area. On Wednesday, an employee preparing for service used it at the margarita station; the three customers and two staff members who tasted the drinks sought medical treatment. Officials have not named the product or disclosed the severity of the injuries, and ordered the restaurant to clean and sanitise potentially contaminated areas and equipment.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.