Normally, you wouldn’t suspect anything harmful or inedible in whatever you’re eating from a restaurant chain, but for one senator from Ohio, his Chipotle order became a bite-sized misery after he discovered a metal screw in his taco. Sadly, he discovered the screw in a rather painful way, and the senator has since taken to social media to voice his woes against Chipotle.
Ohio State Sen. Willis E. Blackshear Jr. of the Democratic Party is the politician in question, and he says a routine dinner run turned into a painful ordeal Sunday night after he bit into a metal screw hidden inside his Chipotle taco, forcing him to seek emergency dental care and file multiple reports with authorities. “Chipotle Mexican Grill, can you explain why I had a screw in my taco? This is ridiculous, and I have to go to the dentist because of this!” Blackshear wrote on his Facebook post.
Blackshear, who represents Dayton, Ohio, recalled that he picked up the meal from the Chipotle on West Dorothy Lane in Moraine. It wasn’t until he heard a “crunch” while chewing that he realized something was wrong. “I thought it was a bone at first,” he reasoned.
The photo he shared online shows an unwrapped soft taco with a small silver screw nestled among lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. The senator claimed the unexpected bite left him with a cracked tooth and bruising, though his dentist confirmed he did not suffer permanent nerve damage.
Chipotle responded through Laurie Schalow, the company’s chief corporate affairs and food safety officer, who announced that, “The health and safety of our employees and guests is our top priority. We have spoken directly with the senator to make it right,” transcript courtesy of WHIO TV.
The Senator isn’t ruling out foul play
Despite Chipotle’s response, Blackshear stated the incident was serious enough that he filed reports with the Moraine Police Department and the local health department, in addition to contacting Chipotle’s corporate office. While he isn’t alleging foul play, he said he couldn’t rule it out entirely. “I’m not saying it was either-or… especially with the political climate, you just don’t know,” the Senator noted.
With that said, Blackshear’s also disappointed and likely won’t be returning to Chipotle anytime soon. “This can happen to anybody. And it’s frustrating how much red tape you have to go through just to get help.” Despite being injured, it appears people online were somewhat torn on the senator’s reaction.
Some have sympathized with the Ohio senator, even advising him to litigate, “I see a personal injury claim sir,” says a Facebook commenter. However, others were making fun of the politician for getting what they assumed was special treatment because of his status, “What if it wasn’t a politician but John the electrician? Would anyone care then?” with another saying, “Damn I had a bit of tin foil in my burrito a few years ago but didn’t get a full article in people magazine what gives?”
