A Melrose Man is Suing Chicken & Rice Guys Following E. Coli Link
Chicken & Rice Guys on Bedford Street in Boston. / Photo provided
It’s been a rough week for Chicken & Rice Guys. Following 15 now-confirmed cases of E. coli linked to its kitchens, the Middle Eastern-inspired fast-casual company remains closed while it works with the Boston Public Health Commission to find answers. But for one customer sickened by their meal, their investigation won’t cut it.
Trevor Bryant, a 30-year-old Melrose resident, is suing the fast-casual company for upwards of $25,000 to cover medical costs and damages, the Boston Globe reports. Bryant alleges he fell ill after eating a grilled chicken and rice plate with pita and lettuce that was delivered to his Boston office on March 30. He sought medical attention and tested positive for E. coli. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Suffolk Superior Court.
The suit does not cite which location prepared Bryant’s lunch, but so far, the CNR Guys have narrowed down affected locations to its five food trucks and Allston brick-and-mortar, for meals served between March 27 and April 6. While no additional suits have been filed, the legal firm representing Bryant is also representing four others who were sickened, according to the Globe. The article also states that 10 people have been hospitalized so far following the outbreak.
At the moment, all of Chicken & Rice Guys’ kitchens are closed, including sites in Medford and downtown Boston. A representative for the company did not have any further updates, including any tentative reopening plans.
“Because there is no underlying issue with how we’re transporting food from our commissary to our food trucks, how we’re preparing food, or any systemic problems like that, the solution is to deep clean everything and have it inspected again,” CNR Guys’ marketing manager Steven Collicelli previously told Boston.
The situation seems bleak, but the CNR Guys team has started taking steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again. While they huddle to rethink and revamp daily operations, they have commissioned an independent food safety expert and outside cleaning service to keep their facilities spotless moving forward. Right now, the team are continuing to clean as the restaurant’s 100-odd employees are tested for E. coli. Stay tuned for more updates.
85 Bedford St., Boston, and other locations, cnrguys.com.
