Five individuals suffered chemical burns at a Chili’s Grill & Bar restaurant in Forest City, North Carolina, after an industrial degreasing chemical was mistakenly used to prepare margaritas. The incident has raised serious questions about workplace safety protocols and training procedures at the popular casual dining chain.
According to the Foothills Health District, the contamination occurred Wednesday when three customers consumed margaritas that had been prepared with an industrial cleaning chemical rather than the sugar or salt typically used in the beverage. Two restaurant employees also experienced symptoms after tasting the substance once customers reported their injuries.
The sequence of events that led to this dangerous situation began two days earlier. On Monday, a restaurant employee received an industrial degreaser from a contracted worker and placed the chemical in an unmarked container. That container was then brought into the restaurant and left in the bar area, where it remained unlabeled and unidentified.
On Wednesday morning, as staff prepared the bar for lunch service, an employee discovered the unlabeled container. Believing its contents to be either sugar or salt, the employee used the industrial chemical to prepare the margarita station for the day’s operations.
The three customers who consumed the contaminated beverages immediately experienced discomfort and chemical burns in and around their mouths. Upon alerting restaurant staff to the problem, two employees tasted the substance to determine what had caused the reactions. Both employees reported similar symptoms.
The restaurant’s food service permit was immediately suspended by the Foothills Health District as officials launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident. However, after specialists conducted a thorough review and determined that the establishment met all other food safety standards, the permit was reinstated the following day.
In a statement addressing the incident, Chili’s acknowledged what it characterized as an isolated event but provided figures that differed from health officials. The company stated that two guests and team members were injured, while preliminary findings from the Foothills Health District indicated three customers had been affected.
“We are aware of an isolated incident at our restaurant in Forest City, North Carolina that resulted in injuries to two of our guests and Team Members,” the company said. “Our team took immediate action to support those affected and avoid any further injuries. We are actively investigating the circumstances related to this incident as the health and wellbeing of our guests and Team Members remain our top priority.”
The incident underscores the critical importance of proper chemical storage and labeling in food service establishments. Industrial cleaning products must be clearly marked and stored separately from food preparation areas to prevent exactly this type of dangerous confusion.
As the investigation continues, questions remain about the training procedures in place at the restaurant and whether adequate safeguards existed to prevent industrial chemicals from being stored in unmarked containers or placed in food preparation areas. The fact that a contracted worker delivered the chemical and that it was subsequently transferred to an unmarked container suggests potential gaps in the establishment’s safety protocols.
The condition of those affected and whether any sought medical treatment beyond initial assessment remains under review as authorities continue their investigation into this serious lapse in restaurant safety procedures.
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