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A 24-year-old Upper East Side woman has filed a lawsuit against Chipotle, DoorDash, and the delivery driver who brought her order, claiming she “bit into a rodent” hidden in her burrito bowl. The lawsuit was filed Monday in New York County Supreme Court.
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According to the complaint, plaintiff Gia Bernhardt ordered a burrito bowl with chips and guacamole from the Chipotle at 1497 Third Avenue (between 84th and 85th streets) through the DoorDash app on January 11, 2025. After beginning to eat, she alleges she “bit into a rodent contained within the meal,” causing what the filing describes as “pain, shock and severe mental anguish.”The complaint states that “the rodent was within the plaintiff’s mouth after biting into the meal,” and claims the incident caused permanent injuries. It does not specify the type of rodent involved or detail Bernhardt’s physical injuries.
Bernhardt argues that Chipotle “knew or should have known” that its food could pose a danger to consumers and failed to provide adequate warnings. DoorDash and the unnamed delivery worker are also named as defendants, with the complaint asserting that the food was negligently delivered “in an unsafe and unsanitary manner.”
Chipotle disputed the allegations in a statement to The Independent, which first reported this lawsuit.
“We strongly deny the allegations in this complaint, and we will vigorously defend ourselves against these claims,” said Laurie Schalow, the company’s Chief Corporate Affairs and Food Safety Officer. “The health and safety of our employees and guests is our highest priority, and we have industry-leading food safety practices in place across our restaurants.”
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The lawsuit notes that Bernhardt has sought medical care following the incident and claims she will face continuing expenses and limitations in her daily activities.Chipotle has faced isolated rodent-related incidents at other locations in past years, but the company has generally attributed those issues to local conditions or property-specific problems.
Bernhardt is seeking damages on the grounds that the defendants failed to provide food that was “safe and sanitary for human consumption.”
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