Three customers at a Chili’s restaurant in North Carolina suffered chemical burns after employees mistakenly used a powerful cleaning chemical to prepare margaritas, triggering an emergency health investigation and the temporary suspension of the restaurant’s food service permit.
The incident occurred Wednesday, October 28, at the Chili’s Grill & Bar in Forest City, where a substance intended for cleaning was apparently mistaken for salt.
Within moments of drinking their margaritas, the customers began experiencing pain and discomfort.
Health officials later confirmed that all three suffered chemical burns in and around their mouths.
But the situation became even more alarming when two restaurant employees tasted the mysterious substance themselves and experienced similar symptoms.
According to the Foothills Health District, the chain of events began two days earlier, on Monday, October 26.
An employee reportedly received a granulated degreasing chemical from a contracted worker who had been power-washing the outside of the restaurant.
Rather than being stored in a properly identified chemical container, the substance was transferred into an unlabeled container and brought inside.
It was subsequently left near the bar.
By Wednesday morning, another employee preparing the bar for lunch service discovered the container.
Believing the substance was salt, the worker used it while preparing margaritas for customers.
Three patrons ordered the drinks and almost immediately realized something was wrong.
The customers began experiencing discomfort before informing restaurant employees and leaving to seek medical treatment.
Two workers then tasted the substance in an apparent attempt to determine what had happened.
They also experienced symptoms consistent with chemical exposure.
The incident prompted an investigation by local public health authorities.
“I’m not sure what degree of chemical burns they had, but they went to urgent care and were treated there,” Foothills Health District spokesperson Megan Rollins said.
The extent of the victims’ injuries was not immediately specified.
The health district responded by suspending the restaurant’s food service permit, temporarily preventing the location from operating.
Employees were ordered to thoroughly clean and sanitize affected food preparation areas, equipment and surfaces.
Investigators examined how the chemical had entered the restaurant and why it had been left in a location where it could be mistaken for a food ingredient.
The preliminary findings identified the unlabeled container as a central factor in the incident.
For customers who regularly visit the Forest City location, the revelation was unsettling.
Levonne Baker, a frequent Chili’s customer, told WLOS News 13 that he was stunned when he learned what had happened.
“I was beyond surprised and almost scared,” Baker said.
He compared the situation to something from a horror movie.
“It’s like a Wes Craven story that’s coming to life. I mean, you don’t get margaritas that can burn your skin,” he said.
Baker acknowledged that the incident had made him reconsider whether he would feel comfortable ordering another drink from the restaurant’s bar, per ABC 13 News.
“It has made me a little nervous about going back to the bar because it’s like, what’s in there next?” he said.
His concerns reflected the extraordinary nature of the mistake: A chemical designed for cleaning surfaces had somehow made its way into drinks served to unsuspecting customers.
Despite the severity of the incident, the restaurant’s closure was temporary.
By Thursday morning, environmental health specialists had completed their investigation.
Officials subsequently reinstated the Chili’s food service permit after determining that the location once again satisfied all applicable food safety requirements.
The decision allowed the restaurant to resume operations following the required cleaning and sanitation measures.
Authorities did not provide additional details about the customers’ recovery or indicate whether further penalties would follow.
The episode highlights the serious consequences that can result when potentially hazardous cleaning products are stored improperly in areas used to prepare food and beverages.
In this case, an unlabeled container and a mistaken assumption were enough to send five people seeking or experiencing symptoms requiring medical attention.
Although health officials determined that the Chili’s location could safely resume service, the incident left customers questioning how an ordinary restaurant visit could have turned into a medical emergency.
