Unexpected find in popular meal leaves diner alarmed: 'We both started panicking'
- Replies 10
Sitting down to enjoy a quick and comforting takeaway should be simple, but sometimes a meal can come with an unsettling surprise.
One diner recently had their evening take a shocking turn after an unusual item was discovered in their food.
The incident has since sparked growing concern about how safe our favourite fast-food choices really are.
Stephanie Weston, a 36-year-old from Ripley, southwest of Brisbane, was looking forward to a relaxing meal after her partner picked up dinner from the Guzman y Gomez drive-through.
He’d already polished off his chicken burrito on the way home, leaving Stephanie with a beef mince burrito bowl.
But as she dug in, she spotted something that definitely wasn’t on the menu: a small, corroded button battery.
'We both started panicking,' Stephanie told ABC News. And who could blame her? Button batteries are notorious for causing severe chemical burns and even life-threatening injuries if swallowed—especially in children.
The couple’s anxiety only grew when they realised Stephanie had planned to share the meal with her stepchildren.
'It was lucky the battery was in my bowl, where I could see it, and not hidden in the burrito,' she said.
After a frantic call to the Poisons Information Hotline, Stephanie and her partner were told they might need to go to the hospital if they couldn’t identify the battery’s origin.
The battery was so corroded, they worried it might have been leaking dangerous chemicals into the food.
Seeking answers, her partner returned the meal to the Guzman y Gomez store. The assistant manager explained the battery had come from a food-grade thermometer, offered a refund, and handed over two burrito vouchers as compensation.
But the couple left feeling uneasy—no one took their details, and there was no advice to seek medical attention. 'They didn’t get his name or anything, no details, and didn’t tell us to go to the hospital,' Stephanie said.
Guzman y Gomez later confirmed the battery was from a thermometer used in the store and said they’d launched a full investigation.
'We have undertaken urgent actions to ensure that this does not happen again, which include the replacement of this model of thermometer, training of crew and additional checks of our equipment across all our restaurants,' a spokesperson said.
'Food safety is our absolute priority at GYG, and we take incidents of this nature extremely seriously.'
But for Stephanie, the response felt lacking. She and her partner were never shown the thermometer, and they simply had to take the store’s word for it.
This incident has shone a spotlight on a much bigger issue: the hidden dangers of button batteries.
Dr Ruth Barker, Director of the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit, raised serious concerns for 'unsuspecting customers' who could have consumed a battery without realising it.
'These little batteries usually come in stacks of two or three, and I would be wondering where the other batteries are,' she said.
Dr Barker plans to discuss the matter with Fair Trading, highlighting the need for greater vigilance.
Button batteries are everywhere these days—in remote controls, hearing aids, toys, and even greeting cards.
But they’re also a leading cause of accidental poisoning in children. According to Queensland Health, about 20 children each week present to hospital emergency departments with suspected button battery ingestion or insertion—a figure that’s remained stubbornly high despite tighter regulations.
Swallowing a button battery can cause severe internal burns in as little as two hours, and symptoms aren’t always obvious.
Parents and carers are urged to watch for signs like pain, irritability, unexplained food refusal, vomiting, drooling, or chest and stomach aches.
If you suspect a child has swallowed or inserted a button battery, call the Poisons Information Hotline immediately on 13 11 26 for 24/7 expert advice.
Australia has some of the strictest food safety standards in the world, but incidents like this remind us that mistakes can still happen.
Fast-food chains serve thousands of meals every day, and even with rigorous checks, things can slip through the cracks.
That’s why it’s so important for businesses to take customer complaints seriously, investigate thoroughly, and be transparent about what went wrong and how they’re fixing it.
For customers, it’s a reminder to stay vigilant—especially when feeding young children or vulnerable adults. If something doesn’t look or taste right, trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to speak up.
Have you ever found something unexpected in your takeaway meal? How did the business handle it? Do you think food safety standards are high enough in Australia, or is there more work to be done? Share your stories and thoughts in the comments below.
Read more: What's lurking in your food? Woman shares unusual find on her meal!
One diner recently had their evening take a shocking turn after an unusual item was discovered in their food.
The incident has since sparked growing concern about how safe our favourite fast-food choices really are.
Stephanie Weston, a 36-year-old from Ripley, southwest of Brisbane, was looking forward to a relaxing meal after her partner picked up dinner from the Guzman y Gomez drive-through.
He’d already polished off his chicken burrito on the way home, leaving Stephanie with a beef mince burrito bowl.
But as she dug in, she spotted something that definitely wasn’t on the menu: a small, corroded button battery.
A diner was stunned to discover a foreign object in their meal, sparking fresh concerns about food safety. Credit: Facebook
'We both started panicking,' Stephanie told ABC News. And who could blame her? Button batteries are notorious for causing severe chemical burns and even life-threatening injuries if swallowed—especially in children.
The couple’s anxiety only grew when they realised Stephanie had planned to share the meal with her stepchildren.
'It was lucky the battery was in my bowl, where I could see it, and not hidden in the burrito,' she said.
After a frantic call to the Poisons Information Hotline, Stephanie and her partner were told they might need to go to the hospital if they couldn’t identify the battery’s origin.
The battery was so corroded, they worried it might have been leaking dangerous chemicals into the food.
Seeking answers, her partner returned the meal to the Guzman y Gomez store. The assistant manager explained the battery had come from a food-grade thermometer, offered a refund, and handed over two burrito vouchers as compensation.
But the couple left feeling uneasy—no one took their details, and there was no advice to seek medical attention. 'They didn’t get his name or anything, no details, and didn’t tell us to go to the hospital,' Stephanie said.
Guzman y Gomez later confirmed the battery was from a thermometer used in the store and said they’d launched a full investigation.
'We have undertaken urgent actions to ensure that this does not happen again, which include the replacement of this model of thermometer, training of crew and additional checks of our equipment across all our restaurants,' a spokesperson said.
'Food safety is our absolute priority at GYG, and we take incidents of this nature extremely seriously.'
This incident has shone a spotlight on a much bigger issue: the hidden dangers of button batteries.
Dr Ruth Barker, Director of the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit, raised serious concerns for 'unsuspecting customers' who could have consumed a battery without realising it.
'These little batteries usually come in stacks of two or three, and I would be wondering where the other batteries are,' she said.
Dr Barker plans to discuss the matter with Fair Trading, highlighting the need for greater vigilance.
Button batteries are everywhere these days—in remote controls, hearing aids, toys, and even greeting cards.
Swallowing a button battery can cause severe internal burns in as little as two hours, and symptoms aren’t always obvious.
Parents and carers are urged to watch for signs like pain, irritability, unexplained food refusal, vomiting, drooling, or chest and stomach aches.
If you suspect a child has swallowed or inserted a button battery, call the Poisons Information Hotline immediately on 13 11 26 for 24/7 expert advice.
Australia has some of the strictest food safety standards in the world, but incidents like this remind us that mistakes can still happen.
That’s why it’s so important for businesses to take customer complaints seriously, investigate thoroughly, and be transparent about what went wrong and how they’re fixing it.
For customers, it’s a reminder to stay vigilant—especially when feeding young children or vulnerable adults. If something doesn’t look or taste right, trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to speak up.
Read more: What's lurking in your food? Woman shares unusual find on her meal!
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