Chili’s Customers Treated for Burns After Cleaning Chemical Ended Up in Margaritas
A routine lunch shift at a North Carolina Chili’s turned into a health scare after customers were served margaritas made with an industrial cleaning chemical instead of sugar.
Three customers at the Chili’s Grill & Bar in Forest City, North Carolina, suffered chemical burns in and around their mouths after drinking the contaminated cocktails on Wednesday, Oct. 28, according to the Foothills Health District. Two restaurant employees who tasted the drinks also became ill.
How a Cleaning Product Ended Up Behind the Bar
The chain of events started two days earlier. On Monday, Oct. 26, a contracted worker who was power-washing the outside of the restaurant gave an employee a granulated degreasing chemical. The employee then put the chemical into an unlabeled container.
On Wednesday, another employee preparing the bar for lunch service found the container. Believing the granules were sugar, the employee used them to make margaritas. Some reports say the chemical may have been mistaken for sugar or salt, both common margarita ingredients.
Shortly after the restaurant opened, three customers ordered margaritas. According to the health district, they immediately felt discomfort and developed chemical burns in and around their mouths. They told staff what happened and left to seek medical care.
“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 Restaurant’s Permit Was Suspended
After the incident, the Foothills Health District suspended the restaurant’s food service permit and ordered a thorough cleaning of the affected equipment and surfaces.
The restaurant’s permit was later reinstated after it passed safety checks.
Health District Director Jason Masters said the incident shows why restaurants need to properly label, store and handle cleaning chemicals.
Why Labeling Matters
The Forest City incident highlights a simple but critical rule in food safety: chemicals and food should never be stored in look-alike containers. Many cleaning products, including some degreasers, come in granular or powdered forms that can resemble sugar, salt or other kitchen staples once they’re removed from their original packaging.
Restaurants generally keep chemicals in clearly labeled containers, stored away from food preparation areas. When those safeguards break down, mistakes like this one can happen quickly.
Not the First Mix-Up of Its Kind
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time a cleaning product has been mistaken for something edible at a restaurant or school. In one past incident, a 67-year-old woman suffered severe burns to her esophagus and spent nearly two weeks in the hospital after a cleaning chemical ended up in her drink.
Earlier this month, an Oregon family filed a lawsuit against a school district after middle school students were served pretzels seasoned with oven cleaner that a kitchen worker mistook for salt.
The incident is also a notable one for Chili’s, which is known for its margaritas. The chain sold nearly 30 million margaritas in 2025, more than any other restaurant in America.
What to Do If Something Tastes Wrong
Most food and drink mistakes are minor, but a strong chemical taste, burning sensation or sudden discomfort is a sign to stop right away. Health experts generally recommend these steps:
Stop eating or drinking immediately: Don’t take another sip to “check” the taste.
Rinse your mouth with water: Spit it out rather than swallowing.
Call Poison Help: In the U.S., call 1-800-222-1222 to reach your local poison center for guidance.
Seek medical care: Get help right away for burning, swelling, trouble swallowing or difficulty breathing. Call 911 in an emergency.
Tell the staff: Letting the restaurant know can help keep others from being affected.
The three customers in Forest City were treated at urgent care, and no further details about their condition have been released.
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