A horrified Wisconsin man is alleging that Olive Garden served him a rat's foot in a bowl of minestrone.
Thomas Howie, 54 years old, recalls that during a meal with two companions at the Warren, Michigan branch on March 11, he made the stomach-turning discovery. He claims to have been served this disgusting surprise ingredient.
While eating the soup, he asserted that he felt a sudden, penetrating jolt akin to a sharp object 'stabbing' his cheek. He was shocked when he discovered a hairy rat’s foot in his bowl of minestrone.
He immediately took a photograph of the unsettling discovery and showed it to the restaurant's staff.
However, he recounts that the employees dismissed his concerns, stating: 'We don't serve meat in our minestrone.'
Subsequently, he filed a police report and sued Olive Garden, claiming he had bitten into a rat's foot while eating a bowl of minestrone. He demanded damages of more than $75,000, while Olive Garden refuted the allegations.
After the lawsuit was filed against Olive Garden, Howie sought treatment at a nearby urgent care facility.
There, he received a tetanus vaccination and was prescribed antibiotics for the wound on his cheek. The lawsuit stated that doctors identified the object as a mouse's foot.
After biting into the disgusting appetizer, Howie rinsed his mouth. However, he still experienced an uncomfortable feeling in his mouth after eating the dish.
In the days following the incident, he struggled to sleep, and eat, and suffered from vomiting, diarrhea, and severe depression, according to the plaintiffs and his attorney.
He told Fox 6: 'The thought of even going to a restaurant right now is just revolting.'
'I couldn't sit still, couldn't believe this was happening, it was devastating.'
However, Olive Garden rejected Howie's allegations and expressed their stance on the matter.
According to their account of events, upon learning of Howie's claims in March, they promptly conducted a health inspection. However, they reported that no signs of rats were found at the location.
They considered the accusations made by the Wisconsin man to be dubious. They stated, 'We have no reason to believe there is any validity to this claim
