Applebee's Serves Alcohol To Toddler

[MA-Caver]

I put this in Horror stories because that toddler could've DIED from alcohol poisoning.
Stupid stupid stupid.

– Tue Apr 12, 8:19 am ET CHICAGO (Reuters) – The company that owns the Applebee's restaurant chain said on Monday it was immediately retraining its workers nationwide after a server at a suburban Detroit location accidentally served alcohol to a toddler.
The company, California-based DineEquity Inc, said it would also change the way it serves juice to youngsters to eliminate the chance of any mixups that could result in any more toddlers receiving mixed drinks.
On Friday, Taylor Dill-Reese went to an Applebee's in Madison Heights, Michigan, where -- among other things -- she ordered her 15-month-old son Dominick an apple juice.
What the little boy apparently got instead was a margarita. His mom told WDIV-TV that she only realized something was wrong when Dominick "kind of laid his head on the table and dozed off a little bit and woke up and got real happy."
The little boy reportedly began hailing strangers, too.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/oukoe_uk_applebees_alcohol

Hailing strangers... yeah I bet the boy was feeling real good. But the part that scared me was he laid his head down and dozed off... he could've not "woke up and got real happy".

And now all they can do is just retrain the staff??

 

[Steve]

I heard this on the radio the other day and I've been mulling it over in my head.

In my brain, I can't even imagine a situation in which this mistake is made. At 15 months old, this guy is... maybe... drinking out of a regular cup. My 1 year old could use a straw, but the cups they brought the kids' drinks out in was plastic, with a lid and a straw. Not anything remotely resembling a cup into which someone would pour alcohol. Logistically, non-alcoholic drinks in most restaurants come from the back, while the alcoholic drinks come from the bar. The cups for the kids are usually kept in a completely different situation. We've all, I'm sure, been at a restaurant where a few people get their sodas first and the server says, "I'll go check on that beer at the bar."

I guess what I'm suggesting is that there's more to this story than negligence. I don't know what, but I can't believe that this was a mistake.

 

[jks9199]

I'm skeptical myself. I've been advised that Applebees actually does serve in sippy cups for kids; I've not seen it myself, but I consider the source trustworthy.

But apple juice and marg mix don't look the same. They don't smell the same. I have trouble buying a 15 month old drinking marg mix; it's more bitter than they usually like.

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

I heard this on the radio the other day and I've been mulling it over in my head.

In my brain, I can't even imagine a situation in which this mistake is made. At 15 months old, this guy is... maybe... drinking out of a regular cup. My 1 year old could use a straw, but the cups they brought the kids' drinks out in was plastic, with a lid and a straw. Not anything remotely resembling a cup into which someone would pour alcohol. Logistically, non-alcoholic drinks in most restaurants come from the back, while the alcoholic drinks come from the bar. The cups for the kids are usually kept in a completely different situation. We've all, I'm sure, been at a restaurant where a few people get their sodas first and the server says, "I'll go check on that beer at the bar."

I guess what I'm suggesting is that there's more to this story than negligence. I don't know what, but I can't believe that this was a mistake.

ya I have a 5 year old and a 2 year old as well... I know they bring those plastic cups out to the kids, I was thinking about it as well but never bothered following up on the story. My initial thoughts are that one of the waiters, or kitchen staff was drinking alcohol and hiding it in a plastic kids cup, and somehow when the waiter brought out the drinks the alcohol hiding cup got mixed in by mistake.

 

[CoryKS]

I could swear that I saw this article a while back and it was a case where the server gave a squawling kid an alcoholic drink to make him simmer down. Don't remember if it was Applebee's or TGI Fridays or what, but it was one of those clone-y bar/grill places.

 

[Steve]

I could swear that I saw this article a while back and it was a case where the server gave a squawling kid an alcoholic drink to make him simmer down. Don't remember if it was Applebee's or TGI Fridays or what, but it was one of those clone-y bar/grill places.

If it's this, and it was my kid, my rational mind would be saying, "sue, sue, sue." But honestly, I'd beat the s*** out of that waiter and forego the money.

 

[crushing]

I'm skeptical myself. I've been advised that Applebees actually does serve in sippy cups for kids; I've not seen it myself, but I consider the source trustworthy.

But apple juice and marg mix don't look the same. They don't smell the same. I have trouble buying a 15 month old drinking marg mix; it's more bitter than they usually like.

I am skeptical as well. http://www.snopes.com/horrors/food/chili.asp

 

[MA-Caver]

If it's this, and it was my kid, my rational mind would be saying, "sue, sue, sue." But honestly, I'd beat the s*** out of that waiter and forego the money.

Ahhh true... and I would probably help hold the sucker down while you do it... however... because you didn't sue... won't mean they won't sue you for beating the crap outta them. So better hurt 'em where it'll hurt the most... the wallet...

I suspect that it was either a bad joke or as CoryKS and LuckyKBoxer said... intentionally to get the kid to shut up or carelessly left their drink cup... I'm kinda cringing on that because having worked in/around restaurants for well over 20+ years ... I can't see being THAT stupid either as a server or as a kitchen staff to leave a "you're fired" drink sitting around where someone can pick it up... But then again... people ARE capable of being that monumentally stupid.
:idunno: it'd be interesting to see "the rest of the story"... but doubtful that it will appear... unless it's sensational.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I don't understand how there are not Muslims or Sharia Law involved here. You mean bad things happen without Muslims doing them? Maybe there was an illegal alien involved somehow.

 

[CoryKS]

I don't understand how there are not Muslims or Sharia Law involved here. You mean bad things happen without Muslims doing them? Maybe there was an illegal alien involved somehow.

Well of course if Muslims were involved they would have stoned the child for drinking alcohol. Better?

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Well of course if Muslims were involved they would have stoned the child for drinking alcohol. Better?

Oh much. Thanks!