Factbox: US restaurant chains hit by foodborne illness outbreaks

The Kraft Heinz

06/08/2026 11:42

Changes dateline, adds details on Chipotle and salmonella outbreak, updates details on cyclosporiasis outbreak
Aug 6 (Reuters) - 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 CMG.N 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 JACK.O 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 jalapeno 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 said it had removed jalapenos from restaurants in Minnesota and other locations that received the product.
July, 2026
Taco Bell  YUM.N 
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 August 5.
The outbreak, the largest on record in the U.S., caused its first known deaths– two people in Michigan.
The FDA and the CDC linked the outbreak to lettuce served at Yum Brands' Taco Bell and later traced the source to Taylor Farms' operations in central Mexico.
The lettuce has been recalled, but authorities are still seeking other potential sources.
February, 2025
Lyons ReadyCare, Sysco Imperial, Prairie Farms Dairy, Kraft Heinz KHC.O 
Listeria
The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigated a multistate listeria outbreak linked to Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial frozen supplemental shakes manufactured by Prairie Farms Dairy, prompting a recall of the products.
Kraft Heinz recalled some Oscar Mayer turkey bacon products over concerns about Listeria monocytogenes contamination in July that year.
October, 2024
McDonald's MCD.N 
E. coli
The restaurant chain temporarily stopped serving slivered onions in affected states after an E. coli outbreak tied to Quarter Pounder burgers. FDA said slivered onions supplied by Taylor Farms were the likely source, prompting a voluntary recall; CDC reported 104 illnesses, 34 hospitalizations and one death by December.
August, 2022
Wendy's WEN.O 
E. coli
The CDC said it was probing an E.coli bacteria outbreak in four states from an unknown food source, with many of the affected reported to have had sandwiches at Wendy's Co.
Wendy’s removed romaine lettuce from sandwiches in some restaurants as CDC investigated an E. coli outbreak.
July, 2018
Chipotle 
Clostridium perfringens bacterium
A type of bacteria found in meat and pre-cooked food left at unsafe temperatures was responsible for sickening hundreds of people who ate at a Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant in Ohio, local health officials said a month after Chipotle's Ohio outlets were linked to food poisoning complaints.
November, 2015
Chipotle 
E. coli
Chipotle Mexican Grill said it may never pinpoint what caused an E. coli outbreak linked to two restaurants in Kansas and Oklahoma, extending a mystery over dozens of illnesses tied to the burrito chain.
Company and health officials investigating the outbreak had also cited the same hurdles to tracing the cause of a larger E. coli outbreak which sickened at least 50 Chipotle customers in nine states since October.
November, 2015
Chipotle  
Norovirus
Boston Public Health Commission reported that 91 people had been sickened by norovirus linked to a Chipotle restaurant in Boston.


 

 (Reporting by Sanskriti Shekhar and Anuja Bharat Mistry in Bengaluru and Waylon Cunningham in New York; Editing by Jonathan Ananda and Shailesh Kuber)
 ((Sanskriti.Shekhar@thomsonreuters.com))