Panera Bread has recently announced that they will be phasing out their Charged Lemonade beverage from their stores nationwide, following a series of lawsuits linking the drink to several deaths. The chain, well-known for its fresh and healthy menu options, has cited customer feedback as the main reason for the decision.
The first lawsuit was filed in November 2022 by the family of Sarah Katz, a 21-year-old college student who had a pre-existing heart condition. The family alleged that she died after consuming a large Charged Lemonade from a Panera Bread location in Philadelphia. The drink, which contains a whopping 390 milligrams of caffeine in its 30-ounce size, far exceeds the FDA’s recommended daily limit of 400 milligrams.
Panera is facing a lawsuit over the death of 21-year-old Sarah Katz, who died last year after drinking their “Charged Lemonade.”
The restaurant’s “charged” drinks contain an unusual amount of caffeine. Their large contains 390 milligrams of caffeine, which is a lot compared to a… pic.twitter.com/GEuQMRor75
— Starcasm (@starcasm) October 24, 2023
Since then, two more lawsuits have been filed, one by the family of a disabled Florida man, and the other by a 28-year-old woman from Rhode Island who suffered from permanent heart damage after consuming the beverage. This has sparked a wave of concern over the safety of highly caffeinated drinks, especially for those with pre-existing health conditions.
Panera Bread has responded to the lawsuits by placing more detailed warnings and disclosures in all of its restaurants and on their website, cautioning customers to consume the drink in moderation. The chain has also stated that the Charged Lemonade is not recommended for children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, or those sensitive to caffeine.
However, despite these measures, the company has announced that Charged Lemonade will be phased out from their menu in the next two weeks. Internal memos suggest that the decision was made after taking into consideration the feedback of over 30,000 guests and their desires for a wider range of beverage options, including low-sugar and low-caffeine options.
Panera is doing away with its highly caffeinated Charged Lemonade drinks that have been at the center of multiple wrongful death lawsuits.
A spokesperson for Panera confirmed to ABC News that is has undergone a “recent menu transformation.”https://t.co/2sOWZrQN7v pic.twitter.com/2ARt0Tm9iT
— ABC News (@ABC) May 8, 2024
The controversy surrounding Charged Lemonade serves as a reminder for companies to carefully consider the potential risks of their products, especially when it comes to ingredients with potential health implications.
