Man consumed drink that tastes like chlorine from McDonald’s Taiwan
A man took to Threads on Monday (14 Sept) after experiencing discomfort upon consuming a drink that tasted like chlorine at a McDonald’s in Taoyuan, Taiwan.
The store manager then confirmed that his drink had traces of chlorine and advised him to go to the emergency room (ER).
Man experienced tongue and stomach discomfort
In his post, the Original Poster (OP) cautioned those who were planning to eat at the McDonald’s outlet on Jingguo Second Road.
He said he got his breakfast there that morning and found that his drink, a cup of Sprite, tasted “a bit strange”, likening it to “chlorine from a swimming pool”.
Source: @maxlin_oon on Threads
“It smelled like Sprite, but it wasn’t quite right,” he added.
He returned to the counter and told the counter staff about it, but they were not sure what to do. Another staff member then offered to change his drink, which he accepted.
Source: @maxlin_oon on Threads
However, the OP later began to feel a tingling sensation on his tongue. It also turned slightly red, “like I had bitten my tongue while eating pineapple”.
Despite drinking water, these symptoms continued when the OP returned home. Additionally, he felt some discomfort in his stomach.
This led the OP to ask whether others had a similar experience, adding that some drinks on the McDonald’s app became temporarily unavailable for half a day.
Source: @maxlin_oon on Threads
Manager says store’s pipeline had just been cleaned
When the OP’s tongue continued to be sensitive, prickly, and slightly red, his friend decided to call the store.
The manager then told them that they had just cleaned the store’s pipeline that day and asked the OP to go to the ER.
“He told me to tell the doctor I drank chlorine and they would refund the meal cost and the registration fee,” the OP wrote.
Source: @maxlin_oon on Threads
At the hospital, the OP received an IV drip, an anti-vomiting medication, and some medicine.
His medical certificate states he had acute gastroenteritis and was “suspected of eating disinfectant water”.
Source: @maxlin_oon on Threads
Incident was caused by inadequate cleaning
Following the incident, McDonald’s said the store manager immediately apologised after receiving a report.
He also accompanied the customer to the hospital for treatment and subsequent appointments, adding that it is monitoring the customer’s health.
“An investigation revealed that the incident was caused by inadequate cleaning of the beverage machine after routine maintenance,” it explained.
The store has since reviewed its staff’s cleaning process. It has also been instructed to strictly follow standard operating procedures to prevent similar incidents.
Woman sent to ER after allegedly consuming McDonald’s drink
In November 2025, a woman was also sent to the ER allegedly after consuming a drink from a McDonald’s outlet in Taichung.
She complained that her drink had an odd taste resembling cleaning agents and made her feel “strange and uncomfortable”.
Source: Mirror Media
She was later diagnosed with burns to her digestive tract, which led her to question whether McDonald’s cleaning measures for its serving cups were adequate.
The company said its staff accompanied the customer to medical attention.
However, it said it found nothing unusual in the store’s equipment and employees’ operating practices.
Also read: Woman in China claims she found ‘mercury’ in Chagee drink, probe says object added by ‘purchaser’
Woman in China claims she found ‘mercury’ in Chagee drink, probe says object added by ‘purchaser’
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Featured image adapted from @maxlin_oon on Threads.
