Three customers at Chili's Grill & Bar in Forest City, North Carolina, suffered chemical burns after a cleaning chemical was mistaken for sugar and used in margaritas on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The Foothills Health District later suspended restaurant service, then reinstated the food service permit after its report on Thursday, Oct. 29.
Jason Masters on labeling
Jason Masters, the health director of the Foothills Health District, said the incident highlights proper chemical labeling, storage and handling in food service establishments under the North Carolina Food Code. His statement points to the control that failed before the drinks were served: a chemical that should have stayed out of the food line was moved into an unlabeled container and left in the bar area.
Forest City bar sequence
According to the Foothills Health District, a contractor gave a restaurant employee a granulated degreasing chemical on Monday while power washing the building. The employee put it in an unlabeled container, and another employee later mistook it for sugar at the margarita station on Wednesday morning.
After the restaurant opened, three customers ordered margaritas and immediately suffered chemical burns in and around their mouths after drinking them. They told staff about their symptoms and left to seek medical treatment.
Foothills Health District report
Two employees also tasted the mixture and developed similar symptoms shortly after, which widened the incident beyond the three customers who first reported burns. The health district said investigators did not reveal the chemical's name or the conditions of the customers and employees, leaving the specific substance and recovery picture unresolved.
The service suspension forced staff to deep-clean food preparation areas before the permit was restored. For customers who drank the margaritas, the practical result is that the restaurant reopened only after the health district cleared it, but the specific chemical that caused the burns has not been identified in the report.
