Most people expect onions in their burgers, but not Demery Ardell Wilson. The Houston man visited a Whataburger location in Texas one day and placed a simple order: a burger with no onions. Everything seemed fine until he took a bite and realized something was off. There were onions in the burger. Now, for most people, this might be annoying at worst. But for Wilson, it was a serious issue because he’s allergic to onions. As a result of this mix-up, he says he had a severe allergic reaction and is now suing Whataburger, seeking at least $250,000 in damages. The lawsuit states he isn’t asking for more than $1 million, but he’s willing to accept any amount within that range.
It might sound a little ridiculous, but not to Wilson and his lawyer. According to them, the incident was caused by a manufacturing defect that made the food unsafe for him to eat. Wilson’s lawyer said he had to seek medical treatment after the reaction and blamed Whataburger for not following proper preparation procedures.
Unsurprisingly, Whataburger doesn’t want to pay out a large sum without solid evidence. The company now demands that Wilson provide clear proof that the incident happened the way he claims. Whether or not Wilson gets the money depends on just how strong that proof turns out to be.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Wilson has taken legal action over onions. Just last year, he also tried to sue Sonic for the same reason. Now, with Whataburger added to the list, it’s another burger and another onion-filled nightmare.
Most internet users who heard about the Houston man’s attempt to sue Whataburger weren’t impressed. In fact, some grew suspicious after learning this wasn’t the first time Wilson had tried to sue a chain restaurant. One user commented, “He’s allergic. He also sued Sonic. This seems intentional. I’m sure onions are in the same kitchen as the rest of the ingredients.”
Another user pointed out that if Wilson were truly allergic, it would make more sense for him to avoid fast food restaurants like Whataburger altogether, especially since onions are such a common ingredient. They also questioned why, if his allergy is so severe, he wouldn’t take the time to check his food before eating it. One person wrote,
“It’s baffling to me that someone with a serious allergy to a common ingredient would eat at a fast food restaurant, where the kitchen is probably completely contaminated with that allergen, staffed by underpaid and likely apathetic workers. And even then, he didn’t bother to check the burger before taking a bite. What’s even more alarming is that this happened to him twice and he still didn’t learn his lesson.”
