Pizza night gone wrong: At least 85 people fall ill after mix-up at restaurant
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Picture this: You’re settling in for a cozy Friday night, maybe with friends or grandkids, and you order a couple of pies from your favorite local pizza joint.
The aroma fills the room, the cheese is bubbling, and the first bite is everything you hoped for.
But an hour later, you start feeling dizzy, anxious, and oddly disoriented.
It’s not a scene from a sitcom—it’s what happened to dozens of real customers at Famous Yeti’s Pizza.
The quiet Wisconsin evening took an unexpected turn that no one saw coming.
A slice of chaos: When pizza night went up in smoke
In October 2024, what should have been a routine dinner turned into a medical mystery for at least 85 people, including eight children.
After enjoying pizza, sandwiches, and garlic bread from Famous Yeti’s, customers began experiencing a range of alarming symptoms: dizziness, anxiety, and a general sense that something was very, very off.
Seven people were rushed to the hospital, and the local authorities were left scratching their heads.
Was it food poisoning? A gas leak? Something in the water?
After ruling out carbon monoxide and other usual suspects, investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) traced the source to something no one expected: the cooking oil.
Also read: Texas man accused of turning Easter scavenger hunt into illegal scheme
The great oil mix-up
Here’s where things get even stranger.
The cooks at Famous Yeti’s had run out of their usual canola oil.
Instead of making a quick grocery run, they grabbed a large bucket labeled “canola oil” from their own kitchen supply.
Unbeknownst to them, the bucket actually contained oil infused with THC—the psychoactive compound in marijuana.
The oil belonged to a company that makes marijuana edibles, and while marijuana is illegal in Wisconsin, hemp-derived THC is not.
Also read: Rolling and driving? A blunt truth about driving habits that has experts concerned
The result? A kitchen blunder that left dozens of people unintentionally high.
The owner of Famous Yeti’s initially believed the oil was just plain canola.
It wasn’t until the CDC got involved that the truth came out.
As the CDC put it, “Regulations regarding practices such as standard, clear labeling and locked storage for ingredients containing THC might decrease the risk for unintentional THC exposure at licensed food businesses.”
In other words: label your stuff, folks!
Also read: Are you drinking alcohol without knowing it? Shocking recall for popular Celsius energy drinks
Not the first food fiasco
If you think this is a one-in-a-million accident, think again.
Food mix-ups are more common than you might realize, especially as the food and beverage industry gets more creative (and sometimes careless) with ingredients.
Also read: “Absolutely gutted”: Uber Eats mix-up sends order 9,600 miles away to another country
The blurred lines of edibles and everyday eats
Critics of legal marijuana have long warned about the dangers of pot-laced products that look just like regular snacks.
Cookies, candies, and now, apparently, pizza—if it looks like food and smells like food, most of us assume it’s safe to eat.
That’s why many states with legal marijuana have strict rules about labeling and packaging, but as this incident shows, accidents can still slip through the cracks.
Emergency rooms across the country have seen a spike in accidental marijuana intoxication cases as legalization spreads.
Still, in the broader context of public health, alcohol remains associated with far more hospitalizations and deaths each year than marijuana.
The CDC reports that over 2,100 Americans die from alcohol poisoning each year, and a staggering 178,000 die from excessive alcohol use.
While marijuana is not without risks, it represents a smaller share of overall public health concerns compared to substances like alcohol.
Also read: Georgia family sues funeral home after heartbreaking mix-up: What went wrong and how to protect your loved ones
What can we learn?
So, what’s the takeaway from this pizza parlor pandemonium?
For starters, it’s a wake-up call for restaurants and food manufacturers to double down on safety protocols.
Clear labeling, secure storage, and staff training aren’t just bureaucratic red tape—they’re essential for keeping customers safe.
For the rest of us, it’s a reminder to stay curious and cautious.
If something tastes or smells off, trust your instincts.
And if you ever find yourself feeling strange after a meal, don’t hesitate to seek medical help.
Read next: Unexpected mix-up at fertility clinic: A story that raises important questions
We want to hear from you! Have you ever had a food or drink mix-up—funny, scary, or just plain weird? Do you think restaurants and food companies are doing enough to keep us safe?
Share your stories and thoughts in the comments below. Let’s swap tales, learn from each other, and keep our community informed (and hopefully, a little more cautious the next time we order takeout).
The aroma fills the room, the cheese is bubbling, and the first bite is everything you hoped for.
But an hour later, you start feeling dizzy, anxious, and oddly disoriented.
It’s not a scene from a sitcom—it’s what happened to dozens of real customers at Famous Yeti’s Pizza.
The quiet Wisconsin evening took an unexpected turn that no one saw coming.
What started as a typical pizza night ended in confusion and hospital visits for customers at a Madison-area restaurant. Image Source: Pexels / Muffin Creatives.
A slice of chaos: When pizza night went up in smoke
In October 2024, what should have been a routine dinner turned into a medical mystery for at least 85 people, including eight children.
After enjoying pizza, sandwiches, and garlic bread from Famous Yeti’s, customers began experiencing a range of alarming symptoms: dizziness, anxiety, and a general sense that something was very, very off.
Seven people were rushed to the hospital, and the local authorities were left scratching their heads.
Was it food poisoning? A gas leak? Something in the water?
After ruling out carbon monoxide and other usual suspects, investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) traced the source to something no one expected: the cooking oil.
Also read: Texas man accused of turning Easter scavenger hunt into illegal scheme
The great oil mix-up
Here’s where things get even stranger.
The cooks at Famous Yeti’s had run out of their usual canola oil.
Instead of making a quick grocery run, they grabbed a large bucket labeled “canola oil” from their own kitchen supply.
Unbeknownst to them, the bucket actually contained oil infused with THC—the psychoactive compound in marijuana.
The oil belonged to a company that makes marijuana edibles, and while marijuana is illegal in Wisconsin, hemp-derived THC is not.
Also read: Rolling and driving? A blunt truth about driving habits that has experts concerned
The result? A kitchen blunder that left dozens of people unintentionally high.
The owner of Famous Yeti’s initially believed the oil was just plain canola.
It wasn’t until the CDC got involved that the truth came out.
As the CDC put it, “Regulations regarding practices such as standard, clear labeling and locked storage for ingredients containing THC might decrease the risk for unintentional THC exposure at licensed food businesses.”
In other words: label your stuff, folks!
Also read: Are you drinking alcohol without knowing it? Shocking recall for popular Celsius energy drinks
Not the first food fiasco
If you think this is a one-in-a-million accident, think again.
Food mix-ups are more common than you might realize, especially as the food and beverage industry gets more creative (and sometimes careless) with ingredients.
- Just last summer, the FDA announced a recall after High Noon, a popular seltzer company, accidentally packaged alcoholic seltzer in cans labeled as energy drinks. Imagine reaching for a pick-me-up and getting a buzz instead!
- In another case, a Japanese restaurant served a toddler cooking wine mislabeled as apple juice. Thankfully, the child was okay, but it’s a sobering reminder of how easily mistakes can happen.
A toddler received hospital treatment after accidentally being served cooking wine instead of apple juice at a Japanese restaurant. Image Source: YouTube / 6abc Philadelphia.
Also read: “Absolutely gutted”: Uber Eats mix-up sends order 9,600 miles away to another country
The blurred lines of edibles and everyday eats
Critics of legal marijuana have long warned about the dangers of pot-laced products that look just like regular snacks.
Cookies, candies, and now, apparently, pizza—if it looks like food and smells like food, most of us assume it’s safe to eat.
That’s why many states with legal marijuana have strict rules about labeling and packaging, but as this incident shows, accidents can still slip through the cracks.
Emergency rooms across the country have seen a spike in accidental marijuana intoxication cases as legalization spreads.
Still, in the broader context of public health, alcohol remains associated with far more hospitalizations and deaths each year than marijuana.
The CDC reports that over 2,100 Americans die from alcohol poisoning each year, and a staggering 178,000 die from excessive alcohol use.
While marijuana is not without risks, it represents a smaller share of overall public health concerns compared to substances like alcohol.
Also read: Georgia family sues funeral home after heartbreaking mix-up: What went wrong and how to protect your loved ones
What can we learn?
So, what’s the takeaway from this pizza parlor pandemonium?
For starters, it’s a wake-up call for restaurants and food manufacturers to double down on safety protocols.
Clear labeling, secure storage, and staff training aren’t just bureaucratic red tape—they’re essential for keeping customers safe.
For the rest of us, it’s a reminder to stay curious and cautious.
If something tastes or smells off, trust your instincts.
And if you ever find yourself feeling strange after a meal, don’t hesitate to seek medical help.
Read next: Unexpected mix-up at fertility clinic: A story that raises important questions
We want to hear from you! Have you ever had a food or drink mix-up—funny, scary, or just plain weird? Do you think restaurants and food companies are doing enough to keep us safe?
Share your stories and thoughts in the comments below. Let’s swap tales, learn from each other, and keep our community informed (and hopefully, a little more cautious the next time we order takeout).
