Chili's Customers Injured by Chemical-Laced Margaritas

Several customers at a Chili's Grill & Bar in Forest City, North Carolina, sustained chemical burns after consuming margaritas prepared with an industrial cleaning chemical that was mistaken for sugar or salt. The Foothills Health District confirmed the incident occurred on Wednesday.

Three customers who drank the contaminated margaritas reported experiencing discomfort and burns in and around their mouths. Two restaurant employees also exhibited symptoms after exposure to the chemical.

The sequence of events began Monday when an employee received an industrial degreaser from a contracted worker and stored it in an unmarked container. On Wednesday, another employee, preparing the bar for lunch service, found the unlabeled container and, believing its contents to be a sweetener or seasoning, used it in the margarita mix. The restaurant's food service permit was temporarily suspended by the health district following the incident but was reinstated Thursday after the establishment was found to meet other food safety standards.

Chili's issued a statement acknowledging the incident, noting that the company took immediate action to support those 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 health district emphasized the critical importance of proper chemical labeling, storage, and handling in food service establishments to prevent such contamination and protect public health, as mandated by the North Carolina Food Code.