Lawsuits have blamed the highly caffeinated drink for at least two deaths.

A Panera Bread spokesperson says the restaurant chain is phasing out its Charged Lemonade, a highly caffeinated beverage that has been blamed for at least two deaths in lawsuits.

The beverages prompted controversy in October following a lawsuit filed by the family of 21-year-old Sarah Katz, a University of Pennsylvania student with a heart condition who died after consuming Charged Lemonade. A second lawsuit was filed in December by the family of Dennis Brown, a Florida man with a chromosomal deficiency disorder and a developmental delay who also died after drinking a Charged Lemonade.

A third lawsuit was filed in January by Lauren Skerritt, a 28-year-old Rhode Island woman, which claimed the beverage left her with “permanent cardiac injuries.”

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Exactly. Right in the middle of the store, a fountain featuring renaissance-style fish spewing Four Loko from their marble mouths.

    • tal@lemmy.today
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      4 months ago

      I think that that might make the ethanol evaporate, as it’ll do so more-readily than water.

      It seems to me that that would have two effects:

      • That would presumably cause the ethanol content to drop over time. You’d either have the impact fall off, or need to replenish it. I’d suggest a small Cupid statue urinating pure ethanol into the Four Loko fountain.

      • If you can evaporate enough of it, maybe you can get enough ethanol vapor going on to get everyone in FlyingSquid’s Panera’s establishment drunk from breathing. I dunno if fountains would be enough, though. I’m thinking maybe add some of those ultrasonic misters, which would create a mysterious Four Loko fog at ankle level and add to the ambiance.