Panera Bread, a popular fast-casual restaurant chain, is facing another lawsuit alleging that its highly caffeinated “charged lemonade” drink caused the death of a customer.
The lawsuit was filed by the family of Dennis Brown, a Florida man who went into cardiac arrest after drinking the beverage at a Panera Bread location in September 2023.
According to the lawsuit, Brown had a history of heart problems and high blood pressure, and was unaware of the amount of caffeine and sugar in the “charged lemonade” drink, which contains 237 milligrams of caffeine and 29 teaspoons of sugar in a large size . The lawsuit claims that Panera Bread failed to properly label and warn consumers about the ingredients and potential risks of the drink, which is marketed as “plant-based and clean” and has as much caffeine as the restaurant’s dark roast coffee .
This is the second wrongful death suit against Panera Bread involving the “charged lemonade” drink. In October 2023, the parents of Sarah Katz, a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student, sued the company after their daughter died from cardiac arrest following the consumption of the drink. Katz had a heart condition called long QT syndrome, which can cause irregular heartbeats and can be triggered by caffeine. The lawsuit alleges that Katz was misled by Panera Bread’s advertising and menu, which did not disclose the caffeine content or the presence of guarana extract, another stimulant, in the drink.
Panera Bread issued warnings and added signage on menus for the “charged lemonade” beverages in late October, after the first lawsuit was filed . The company said in a statement that it was “very saddened” to learn about the deaths of Brown and Katz, and that it “strongly believes in transparency around our ingredients” . The company said it would “work quickly to thoroughly investigate this matter” .
The lawsuits seek compensatory and punitive damages from Panera Bread, as well as an injunction to stop the company from selling the “charged lemonade” drink or any other similar products . The lawsuits also accuse Panera Bread of negligence, wrongful death, breach of warranty, and consumer fraud . The plaintiffs are represented by the law firm Saltz Mongeluzzi & Bendesky, which specializes in personal injury and wrongful death cases .
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a written statement that it was “saddened to hear of the passing of a consumer and as always, takes seriously reports of illnesses or injuries potentially associated with the use of FDA-regulated products”. The FDA also advised consumers to be aware of the caffeine content and possible health effects of the beverages they consume, and to consult their health care providers if they have any concerns.
