What is Anaphylaxis? Rockland County man ‘no longer trusts’ McDonald’s after suing it over cheese on burger

A Rockland County man is suing a New York City McDonald's after claiming he nearly died from anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction, allegedly triggered by eating a Big Mac containing a slice of American cheese, to which he is allergic.

According to the lawsuit filed on Friday, February 2, 2024, in the Supreme Court, the incident happened to a man named Charles Olsen in February 2021. As per the Mayo Clinic, anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that requires immediate treatment. During anaphylaxis, the immune system releases several chemicals that can lead to shock.

Olsen, in an interview with The New York Post this week, said,

"I have been back to McDonalds. But I no longer trust McDonald’s to follow any order specifics such as not including cheese."

Despite specifying "NO American cheese" between the buns and patties in his order placed through DoorDash, Olsen allegedly received the allergen, prompting his girlfriend to rush him to the hospital. Doctors were finally able to stabilize him hours later, as per NBC.

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Rockland County man sues NYC McDonald’s over Anaphylaxis incident

A 28-year-old Rockland County man by the name of Charles Olsen is suing McDonald’s after he said an errant slice of cheese on his Big Mac almost killed him in February 2021. The food outlet is located at 335 Eighth Avenue, and he placed the order with the food delivery app DoorDash, as per NBC. Olsen was hospitalized after suffering from an anaphylaxis reaction.

The receipt was included in the lawsuit filed with the Supreme Court. It showed the plaintiff had marked "No American Cheese" when he placed his online order. The court filings read that when he took a few bites, he "immediately felt like something wasn’t right." The suit claimed,

"His throat began to itch and swell. He felt a burning sensation throughout his body. He looked at his girlfriend, Alexandra, and coughed ‘there’s milk in this!'"

Following the anaphylaxis reaction, Olsen stated that he was rushed to the hospital, where he thought he "might not make it." Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that can be triggered by allergens like peanuts and bee stings. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, it occurs in approximately one in 3,500 individuals each year.

The reaction can occur within seconds or minutes after one gets exposed to the allergen and can be fatal if not treated in time. Charles conveyed through written responses by his lawyers that,

"Now I just order their fries and a plain burger, with nothing on it. Just the patty and bun. I just can’t take the risk that it’ll happen again. When I got my food, I opened the burger, and it looked like it always did when I ordered it. I didn’t see any cheese melting over the sides. I assumed it was like every other time I had eaten there before."

The lawsuit also alleges that there were no allergy warnings or cross-contamination warnings when he placed his order. Although McDonald's has denied any comments, the franchise's owner stated that,

"Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers. We take every complaint seriously and are actively reviewing these claims."

According to The New York Post, the damages resulting from the anaphylaxis reaction were not specified in the Big Mac lawsuit. The legal action, however, demanded that McDonald’s follow adequate food and allergy policies in the future.