Customers suffer chemical burns after drinking margaritas at a NC Chili’s, officials say

FOREST CITY, N.C. (WHNS/Gray News) – A round of drinks turned into a medical nightmare when three customers ordered margaritas and immediately suffered chemical burns inside and around their mouths.

Health officials investigating the incident at a Chili’s Grill & Bar in Forest City, North Carolina, said the drinks were contaminated after a powerful industrial degreaser was mistaken for sugar.

The dangerous mix-up began when a restaurant worker obtained granulated degreasing agent from an outside contractor power-washing the building’s exterior, according to the Foothills Health District.

The employee poured the chemical into an unlabeled container, brought it inside and left it in the bar area. The next day, another employee assumed the white granular substance was sugar and used it to prep the bar’s margarita station.

Shortly after the three customers took their first sips and suffered burns, employees who tasted the mixture reported identical burning symptoms.

County health inspectors immediately suspended the restaurant’s food service permit and mandated a full sanitation of the facility.

The permit was reinstated Thursday after Environmental Health Specialists verified all corrective actions were completed, according to Health Director Jason Masters, who emphasized that state food codes strictly require proper labeling, storage and handling to prevent chemical contamination.