A 28-year-old restaurateur is suing McDonald’s over an errant slice of cheese on his Big Mac that he claims nearly killed him.
Charles Olsen, who has a severe milk allergy, said he placed his “usual” order at the Manhattan restaurant that did not include “American cheese” on his burger.
He said there was nothing unusual about the Door Dash order when it arrived until he bit into the burger and immediately knew something was wrong and began having an anaphylactic reaction.
“When I felt my throat close up and it was hard to breathe, I actually thought I might not make it,” she said. The New York Post.
Olsen, who was with his girlfriend, Alexandra DiBenedetto, during the February 2021 ordeal, feared that if they waited for an ambulance it might be too late, so they hopped in an Uber and went straight to the emergency room.
He said he was about to be intubated, but the life-saving drug cocktail of epinephrine, steroids and Benadryl saved him.
Earlier this month, Olsen, of Rockland County, New York, filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s. His lawyer, Jory Lange, told DailyMail.com that they are in the initial stages of litigation.
Pictured: Charles Olsen, 28, who has a severe milk allergy, said he placed his “usual” order at McDonald’s that did not include “American cheese” on his burger.
A screenshot of the February 2021 McDonald’s order placed where Olsen indicates “no American cheese” on her Big Mac appears in court documents.
A photo of Mickey D’s burger loaded with toppings and a sesame bun.
The McDonald’s at 355 Eighth Avenue where the order was placed has already closed, Lange said.
The lawsuit, obtained by DailyMail.com, shows a copy of Olsen’s order that includes the $9.08 Big Mac meal she placed, which includes a Sprite, some medium fries and the “no cheese” burger.
The McDonald’s fan said his order was one of dozens he placed before the terrifying incident.
The lawsuit claims he “assumed it was like any other time he had eaten there before,” until he became seriously ill.
“His throat started to itch and swell. “She felt a burning sensation throughout her body,” according to the complaint. “He looked at his girlfriend, Alexandra, and coughed: ‘There’s milk in this!'”
The lawsuit further alleges that Olsen had difficulty breathing and began breaking out in hives on her body.
His girlfriend said seeing her boyfriend’s severe reaction was “absolutely horrible,” according to the Post.
“It became more and more terrifying as the reaction went on,” he said.
According to the lawsuit, Olsen said he wanted to hold restaurants responsible for the ingredients they put in their meals.
It claims McDonalds did not give any allergy or cross-contamination warnings when the order was placed, according to the lawsuit.
“I have had to spend my entire life tiptoeing through menus, dealing with staff who don’t know how to handle food allergies, etc.,” she said in a statement through her attorneys.
Olsen’s lawyer, who specializes in food safety, told DailyMail.com that cases like Olsen’s are not uncommon.
He said he represents the families of several people who died after a restaurant served them food with undisclosed allergens.
“Every day, across the country, restaurant customers are rushed to the emergency room, hospitalized, or worse after restaurants serve them food with undisclosed allergens.”
Lange added: ‘Thank God Charles survived. “This traumatic event could have turned into a terrible tragedy.”
McDonald’s declined to comment when DailyMail.com requested a statement, but said the franchise owner was taking Olsen’s claims “seriously,” according to The Post.
‘Allergies should be something so simple to be able to deal with as an establishment. There is no reason why it can’t be listed clearly, options are not included when placing an order to indicate allergies and the staff are properly trained to handle something so simple.
‘Fortunately progress has been made, but it is not enough. No one should have to fear for their health when simply trying to eat.’
Lange said restaurants need to listen to their customers better and warned that food allergies are a “matter of life and death.”
Despite the lawsuit, Olsen still admits that she eats products from the fast food chain, but only orders a plain burger.
But, he said, “he no longer trusts McDonald’s to follow specific details like not including cheese,” according to the news outlet.
‘Now I only order fries and a simple hamburger, without anything on top. Just the burger and bun,” she said. “I just can’t take the risk of it happening again.”
A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers. We take all complaints seriously and are actively reviewing these claims.”