NYC Chipotle customer allegedly ‘bit into a rodent’ inside burrito bowl ordered through DoorDash: lawsuit
The complaint claims that a burrito bowl delivered from a Chipotle on the Upper East Side contained an unexpected animal product.
A 24‑year‑old woman named Gia Bernhardt says she ordered a burrito bowl and a side of chips and guacamole via the DoorDash app on January 11, when she was in the area around East 84th and East 85th Streets and Third Avenue. According to the lawsuit filed in New York County Supreme Court, Bernhardt allegedly opened the bowl and ate it only to discover a rodent inside her meal. “The rodent was within the plaintiff’s mouth after biting into the meal,” the complaint states.
The incident, the plaintiffs say, left Bernhardt with severe bodily injuries, pain, shock, and mental distress. The suit contends that Chipotle “knew or should have known that its product was dangerous to members of the general public.”
In response, Chipotle has denied the allegations, insisting that it will vigorously defend against the claims. A spokesperson quoted a company official who said internal investigators examined both the evidence in person and through photographs, concluding that the object was a chicken tendon or ligament. The spokesperson also emphasized that the chain’s food‑safety standards are “industry‑leading” and that the safety of staff and customers is the highest priority.
DoorDash and the unnamed delivery driver are also named as co‑defendants. The lawsuit asserts that the driver, hired through the delivery app, “improperly and negligently delivered the product in an unsafe and unsanitary manner.”
The specific type of rodent involved and the exact injuries Bernhardt sustained remain unclear at this time. The case seeks both monetary compensation and unspecified punitive damages. Neither DoorDash nor Bernhardt’s attorney, Steven Vaccaro, has yet replied to a request for comment.
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