Restaurant Chains Hit By Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Foodborne illness outbreaks have repeatedly disrupted U.S. restaurant chains, triggering recalls, lawsuits and heightened regulatory scrutiny while pressuring customer traffic and sales.

Burrito chain owner Chipotle Mexican Grill said on August 4 it removed jalapenos from all its restaurants in Minnesota and other locations that received them after the peppers were identified as a potential source of a salmonella outbreak under investigation by public health authorities.

The salmonella probe comes amid heightened food safety concern following an outbreak of the parasitic disease cyclosporiasis linked to iceberg lettuce that was served at Taco Bell restaurants and renewed attention on Chipotle’s past foodborne illness issues.

The business impact of such outbreaks has varied widely.

RBC Capital Markets analysts said in a note that the evolving outbreak of cyclosporiasis and Chipotle pulling jalapeños tied to Minnesota salmonella cases may further amplify concerns about food safety.

Analysts at TD Cowen wrote in late July that similar food safety issues at McDonald’s in late 2024 only impacted the chain for a quarter, while the Wendy’s episode in 2022 saw no discernible impact at all. But previous outbreaks in 2015 at Chipotle Mexican Grill and in 1993 at Jack in the Box caused sales at those companies to drop sharply for several quarters.

Below is a look at major foodborne illness outbreaks and contamination scares that have affected U.S. restaurant and food companies in recent years.

Date	Company	Illness Outbreak	Impact
August 2026	Chipotle Mexican Grill	Salmonella	U.S. health officials are investigating a Salmonella outbreak linked to Mexican jalapeño peppers that has sickened 345 people in 27 states, prompting supplier Coast Citrus Distributors to recall peppers sent to restaurants including Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA. Chipotle removed jalapeños from restaurants in Minnesota and other locations that received the product.
July 2026	Taco Bell	Cyclosporiasis	U.S. health officials expanded their investigation into a cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico after cases emerged in six more states, bringing the total to 15. Michigan health officials reported 12,218 cases as of Aug. 5. The outbreak, the largest on record in the U.S., caused its first known deaths—two people in Michigan. The FDA and CDC linked the outbreak to lettuce served at Taco Bell and later traced the source to Taylor Farms’ operations in central Mexico. The lettuce has been recalled, though authorities continue investigating other potential sources.
February 2025	Lyons ReadyCare, Sysco Imperial, Prairie Farms Dairy, Kraft Heinz	Listeria	The FDA and CDC investigated a multistate listeria outbreak linked to Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial frozen supplemental shakes manufactured by Prairie Farms Dairy, prompting a product recall. Kraft Heinz also recalled some Oscar Mayer turkey bacon products over concerns about Listeria monocytogenes contamination in July 2025.
October 2024	McDonald’s	E. coli	McDonald’s temporarily stopped serving slivered onions in affected states after an E. coli outbreak tied to Quarter Pounder burgers. The FDA identified slivered onions supplied by Taylor Farms as the likely source, prompting a voluntary recall. The CDC reported 104 illnesses, 34 hospitalizations and one death by December.
August 2022	Wendy’s	E. coli	The CDC investigated an E. coli outbreak in four states from an unknown food source after many affected people reported eating sandwiches at Wendy’s. The company removed romaine lettuce from sandwiches in some restaurants during the investigation.
July 2018	Chipotle	Clostridium perfringens	Local health officials said a type of bacteria commonly found in meat and food left at unsafe temperatures sickened hundreds of people who ate at a Chipotle restaurant in Ohio, following food poisoning complaints linked to the chain.
November 2015	Chipotle	E. coli	Chipotle said it might never identify the source of an E. coli outbreak linked to two restaurants in Kansas and Oklahoma. The investigation also covered a larger outbreak that sickened at least 50 Chipotle customers in nine states.
November 2015	Chipotle	Norovirus	The Boston Public Health Commission reported that 91 people were sickened by a norovirus outbreak linked to a Chipotle restaurant in Boston.