Chili's customers in North Carolina were left with mouth burns after drinking margaritas, and it wasn't because of the tequila.
On Oct. 28, three customers at a Chili's restaurant in Forest City, North Carolina, experienced chemical burns in and around their mouths immediately after drinking margaritas, the Foothills Health District said in a release.
The customers, who had ordered the drinks shortly after the restaurant opened for the day, notified staff about the incident before leaving to seek medical attention, according to the release.
After launching an investigation and suspending the restaurant's food service permit, officials discovered that the incident apparently stemmed from a mix up with sugar and a cleaning chemical.
"This incident
highlights the importance of proper chemical labeling, storage, and handling in food service establishments," said Jason Masters, health director of Foothills Health District, in a statement.
Chili's said in a statement to USA TODAY that it is aware of the "isolated incident."
"Our team took immediate action to support those affected and avoid any further injuries," the statement said. "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."
Chili's worker mixed up sugar and cleaning chemical
Officials believe the incident that left three Chili's customers with chemical burns stemmed from a mix-up of sugar and a granulated chemical.
On Oct. 26, a contracted worker who was power washing the exterior of the restaurant placed a granulated degreasing chemical into an unlabeled container and gave it to a restaurant employee. The employee brought the container inside the restaurant and left it in the bar area, according to the Foothills Health District's preliminary findings.
Two days later, "an employee preparing the bar for lunch service discovered the unlabeled container and, believing its contents to be sugar, used the chemical to prepare the margarita station," according to a release.
After the customers drank their margaritas and "immediately experienced discomfort and chemical burns in and around their mouths," they notified restaurant staff and left to seek medical attention. Then, two restaurant employees also tasted the substance and experienced similar symptoms.
Megan Rollins, public information officer for the Foothills Health District, told USA TODAY that officials do not have any updates on the conditions of the customers or employees who consumed the chemical.
According to The Cleveland Clinic, a chemical burn is damage to tissue on your body from a harsh or corrosive substance. They range in severity, and severe chemical burns can cause permanent tissue damage, scarring or death.
Chili's restaurant's food service permit temporarily suspended after incident
After officials were notified about the incident, the Foothills Health District opened an investigation and suspended the restaurant's food service permit, according to the release.
They also directed staff to "thoroughly wash, rinse, and sanitize affected food preparation areas, equipment, and surfaces."
As of Oct. 29, officials had finalized the investigation and reinstated the restaurant's food service permit "after determining that the establishment meets all applicable food safety requirements and can safely resume operations."
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chili's customers get chemical burns after drinking margaritas
