Which restaurant chains like Applebee’s have had outbreaks? More than you’d think, including Wendy’s, McDonald’s, and Jimmy John’s. Just because a restaurant is famous or popular doesn’t mean they don’t serve contaminated food. Every year there are hundreds of outbreaks associated with restaurants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
During the time frame from 2017 to 2019, 800 outbreaks associated with 875 retail food establishments were reported to NEARS, the National Environmental Assessment Reporting System that was set up to compliment surveillance.
The most common pathogens were norovirus and Salmonella. About 40% of those outbreaks had at least one reported factor associated with contamination by a sick or infectious food worker. Contaminated food sold to the restaurants is another factor. And the issue with outbreaks at these chains is that contaminated food may have been shipped to many of the individual restaurants, which can spread the outbreak to more people. These outbreaks were linked to everything from salads to seafood.
Food Poisoning Outbreaks Linked to Restaurant Chains Like Applebee’s
In 2014, an E. coli O111 outbreak was linked to cabbage served at Applebee’s restaurants in Minnesota. At least 13 people were sickened, and four were hospitalized.
Also in 2014, a norovirus outbreak closed Applebee’s restaurants in Bellingham, Washington. About a dozen employees were sick, but there were no customer illnesses.
In 2015, a Salmonella Newport outbreak linked to tomatoes served at Chipotle restaurants in Minnesota sickened at least 64 people.
In 2018, a Salmonella outbreak linked to raw sprouts served at Jimmy John’s restaurants in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois sickened at least 10 people.
In 2018, a Cyclospora outbreak linked to McDonald’s salads provided by Fresh Express sickened more than 500 people in 16 states. Twenty-four people were hospitalized.
In 2020, an E. coli O103 outbreak linked again to raw sprouts served at Jimmy John’s restaurants sickened at least 51 people in 10 states. Three people were hospitalized.
In 2021, a hepatitis A outbreak at Famous Anthony’s restaurants in Virginia sickened 49, hospitalized 31, and three patrons died.
In 2022, an outbreak associated with Wendy’s burgers allegedly sickened at least 109 people in six states, and 52 people were hospitalized.
And last year, in an outbreak that showed how far illness can spread when a company ships contaminated food to many restaurants, a Salmonella Thompson outbreak linked to fish from Northeast Seafood sickened at least 102 people in 14 states.
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