Three customers expecting a refreshing margarita at a North Carolina Chili’s instead suffered chemical burns after a restaurant employee allegedly mistook a powerful cleaning chemical for sugar, triggering a frightening incident that also injured two workers.
The alarming mix-up occurred Wednesday, October 28, at a Chili’s Grill & Bar in Forest City, where customers began experiencing immediate pain and burning sensations in and around their mouths after taking sips of their drinks, according to the Foothills Health District.
Investigators uncovered a troubling chain of events that began two days earlier, when a contractor power-washing the restaurant’s exterior gave an employee a granulated degreasing chemical. The substance was transferred into an unlabeled container, brought inside and left in the bar area.
On Wednesday morning, another employee preparing for lunch service discovered the container and apparently assumed it contained sugar. Unaware of the dangerous mistake, the worker used the chemical to prepare the margarita station.
Shortly after the restaurant opened, three customers ordered margaritas and immediately realized something was terribly wrong. They alerted restaurant staff before leaving to seek medical attention.
In an even more disturbing twist, two employees reportedly tasted the substance while investigating the complaints and experienced similar symptoms, bringing the total number of people affected to five.
Health officials immediately suspended the restaurant’s food service permit and launched an investigation. Employees were ordered to thoroughly clean and sanitize potentially contaminated food preparation areas, equipment and surfaces.
Jason Masters, health director of the Foothills Health District, said the incident underscored the critical importance of properly labeling, storing and handling cleaning products to prevent dangerous contamination in restaurants.
Chili’s acknowledged the incident in a statement, describing it as isolated and saying the company took immediate steps to assist those affected and prevent additional injuries. The chain also confirmed it was conducting its own investigation.
The restaurant’s food service permit was reinstated October 29 after inspectors determined that the location met applicable food safety requirements and could safely resume operations.
The exact cleaning chemical involved has not been publicly identified, and officials have not released updated information about the conditions of the three customers or two employees.
The incident has raised serious questions about how a chemical intended for cleaning a restaurant’s exterior ended up in an unlabeled container behind the bar—and ultimately in drinks served to unsuspecting customers.
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