Top 10 Fast Food Items That Made People Physically Sick
#10: Green Onions
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Chi-Chi’s You’ll find throughout this list that sometimes the healthiest options on the menu prove to be the direst. 2003 was a rough year for this Mexican food chain. In October, Chi-Chi’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Just one month later, America’s most substantial hepatitis A outbreak to date was traced to a Chi-Chi’s location at Pittsburgh’s Beaver Valley Mall. 98% of the reported patients had consumed items with green onions, most notably mild salsa and chili con queso. The scallions, which originated from Mexico, were probably tainted “in the distribution system or during growing, harvest, packing, or cooling,” according to the CDC. Including 13 restaurant employees, over 650 individuals were affected by the outbreak with at least four losing their lives.
#9: Salad
McDonald’s A 2016 report found that McDonald’s Kale Caesar Salad possesses more calories than a double Big Mac. That’s not the only time Mickey D’s came under fire for their so-called “healthier option.” Two years later, over 500 cases of illness were reported from 15 U.S. states, as well as New York City. What did they all have in common? Every person had eaten a McDonald’s salad, which contained the coccidian parasite, Cyclospora. Diarrhea is the most prominent side effect, in addition to nausea, fatigue, and intestinal pain. McDonald’s would temporarily cease serving salads at almost 3,000 locations, mostly from the Midwest. The FDA investigated the romaine lettuce and carrot mix McDonald’s received from Fresh Express, unearthing Cyclospora in the sample.
#8: Watermelon
Sizzler Growing up, many of us bought into the urban legend that if you eat a watermelon seed, one will grow inside you! Of course, we now know that’s rubbish, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be weary the next time you devour this fruit. In 2000, Wisconsin was hit with an E. coli outbreak traced to multiple Sizzler locations in Layton and Mayfair. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health, Sizzler employees had cross-contaminated raw meat with watermelon. Excel Corp, which supplied the meat, was also deemed accountable. Almost 150 people were infected, including a young girl who tragically lost her life. After eight years, her parents would reach a $13.5 million settlement, although this wasn’t the only lawsuit brought against the responsible parties.
#7: Coffee
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Dunkin Donuts Dunkin Donuts faced a Salmonella scare in 2009 when supplier Plainview Milk Products Cooperative thought their equipment might’ve been exposed. As a precaution, Dunkin ceased serving hot chocolate and Dunkaccino beverages for a period. While they avoided any illnesses in this case, a dubious side effect has been connected to Dunkin’s coffee over the years. Various Dunkin patrons have claimed that their coffee caused an upset stomach, extending to diarrhea. This can be attributed to their coffee’s high acidity levels, which some customers may be more sensitive to than others. We can see why many choose Dunkin’s coffee over Starbucks’. In addition to being less expensive, Dunkin will inject your beverage with more caffeine, although that can come at a price. Time to make… ew.
#6: Big Catch Meal
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Long John Silver’s It’s not as if fast food is lacking in unhealthy options. So, it really said something when the CSPI declared Long John Silver’s Big Catch the “Worst Restaurant Meal in America” in 2013. Complete with fried haddock, hush puppies, and onion rings, the meal amounted to 1,320 calories. CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson went as far as to call the meal “a heart attack on a hook” and “America’s Deadliest Catch.” Containing more trans fats than anyone should consume in two weeks, it’s safe to say that anyone who ordered the Big Catch left the restaurant in lesser health. Reflecting on the now-defunct Big Catch in 2015, Jim Vorel of Paste Magazine wrote, “I’m experiencing nostalgic heartburn right now, just remembering that experience.”
#5: Items with Lettuce
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Taco Bell & Wendy’s Lettuce usually makes us feel a little better about fast food, but sometimes it’s healthier to hold the greens. In late 2006, over 70 Taco Bell patrons across five states had a brush with E. coli, 11% of whom endured a form of kidney failure. Although the CDC initially blamed green onions, the FDA eventually pinned it on lettuce. Earlier that same year, Wendy’s prepared food for over 300 at a CORE Academy luncheon in Utah. At least four contracted E. coli with iceberg lettuce deemed the most likely suspect. In 2022, Wendy’s was in the news again for nearly 100 E. coli cases in six states. Wendy’s removed romaine lettuce amid the outbreak, although it’s yet to be confirmed if that was the cause.
#4: Coleslaw
KFC Some claimed that they became “physically sick” upon finding out how KFC makes their gravy. We guess you’re better off ordering a side of coleslaw. Then again, maybe not. In May 1998, 27 people endured E. coli after eating coleslaw at an Indiana KFC. The cabbage used for the coleslaw reportedly wasn’t from KFC’s usual supplier. While some of the “mushy” cabbage was discarded, the heads they kept apparently weren’t washed. Patrons were shocked when only a year later, more than 10 E. coli cases were once again linked to KFC’s coleslaw. One of these customers, Geraldine Johnson, almost died after consuming the contaminated coleslaw at an Ohio location. She was hospitalized for nearly a month and suffered kidney failure, hitting KFC with a lawsuit.
#3: Halloween Whopper
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Burger King Remember the episode of “SpongeBob” where Pretty Patties turned consumers into different colors? The Halloween Whopper had similar side effects, albeit more disgusting. Landing on the menu in October 2015, this limited-time whopper stood out with a distinct black bun. This isn’t the only color that appeared out of place. Peering into their toilets after eating the Halloween burger, consumers expecting something brown instead found greener pastures. The buns were black because they had been infused with A1 Steak Sauce, which consequently can turn stool green. While not a serious threat to one’s health, some were concerned when the green turds persisted for three days. Considering that most associate green with witches, we suppose it matches the Halloween theme, although not the way Burger King intended.
#2: The Monster Burger
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Jack in the Box With two patties, three kinds of cheese, and eight bacon strips, the Monster Burger was promoted as “So good it’s scary!” Unfortunately, it proved scary for all the wrong reasons. The discount burger was in such high demand that restaurants rushed it from the grill to the customer. Demonstrating how fast food can indeed be too fast, the burger wasn’t heated long enough to destroy the bacteria. The Monster Burger spawned a wide-sweeping E. coli outbreak, which reached 732 people throughout 73 Jack in the Box locations in four U.S. states. Many were quite young with four dying. 178 more suffered permanent side effects. Persisting from December 1992 to February 1993, it remains among the most infamous and monstrous outbreaks in fast food history.
#1: The Whole Menu
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Chipotle Few chains have sparked more health concerns than this Mexican grill. In 2008, Chipotle was at the center of hepatitis and norovirus outbreaks that happened within only a month of each other. 2015 proved to be an even more disastrous year. Not only did norovirus return, but the chain saw numerous E. coli cases, as well as a Salmonella outbreak. Chipotle strove to clean up their act (and food), but norovirus reared its head again in 2017 with the following year bringing a Clostridium perfringens outbreak, which reached more than 700 people. Between 2015 and 2018, more than 1,100 people became ill due to Chipotle’s menu. In 2020, Chipotle agreed to cough up $25 million, the largest fine yet for a food safety case.
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