A Chili's restaurant has come under scrutiny after three customers were left with chemical burns upon ordering cocktails. The patrons had consumed drinks containing a cleaning chemical that was mistakenly identified as sugar by the bartender. The incident took place on Monday (Oct 26) at the Forest City outlet in western North Carolina.
As per the preliminary investigation by the Foothills Health District (FHD), an employee received a "granulated degreasing chemical" from a contracted worker power-washing the outside of the restaurant and put it in an unlabeled container. Subsequently, the container was brought into the restaurant and left in the bar area, according to a report in New York Post.
"On the morning of October 28th, an employee preparing the bar for lunch service discovered the unlabeled container and, believing its contents to be sugar, used the chemical to prepare the margarita station," FHD said in a statement.
After the restaurant opened, the customers ordered margaritas and immediately experienced discomfort and chemical burns in and around their mouths after consuming the beverages.
“I'm not sure what degree of chemical burns they had, but they went to urgent care and were treated there,” said FHD spokesperson Megan Rollins.
The restaurant's food service permit was suspended initially while the staff was ordered to thoroughly wash and sanitise affected food preparation areas, equipment and surfaces.
The permit was reinstated by Thursday morning after environmental health specialists completed their investigation and determined the restaurant met “all applicable food safety requirements.”
"This incident highlights the importance of proper chemical labeling, storage, and handling in food service establishments, as required by the North Carolina Food Code, to prevent chemical contamination and protect public health," said Jason Masters, Health Director of FHD.
"Our priority is protecting the health and safety of the public. We are working to ensure that all necessary corrective actions are completed before the restaurant is permitted to reopen."
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