In the wake of several lawsuits, fast-casual restaurant Panera is making moves to regulate its “charged lemonade” — a beverage containing four times the amount of caffeine found in a cup of coffee.
In 2023, two families filed lawsuits against Panera, alleging the restaurant’s charged lemonade beverage led to the deaths of their loved ones. Another woman recently filed a third lawsuit against the brand, claiming she was left with “permanent cardiac injuries” after consuming the caffeinated beverage, as reported by People.
Panera has not pulled the beverage from its menu. In some locations, the restaurant moved charged lemonade from the self-serve stations to behind the counter, where customers must ask an employee to fill their drink.
“Looking for Charged Sips? You can pick up your order on the Rapid Pick-Up shelf or at the pick-up counter. Ask an associate if you need help locating your drink,” reads a sign now displayed at some Panera locations, People confirmed.
This is not the first move Panera has made to regulate the beverage. Following the first lawsuit — filed in October 2023 — the restaurant issued warnings in store and online about the product’s caffeine amount.
“Contains CAFFEINE — Consume in Moderation. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women,” the warning labels read, per People.
One serving of Panera charged lemonade contains 390 mg of caffeine. For comparison, that is more than three times the amount of caffeine in a Red Bull energy drink or Monster energy drink. In each lawsuit, the customer in question drank at least two servings of the charged lemonade. The FDA recommends healthy adults drink no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day.
The fast-casual restaurant continues to defend its products, claiming the lawsuits are “without merit.”
After the filing of the third lawsuit, Panera issued this statement: “We view this lawsuit, which was filed by the same law firm as the previous claim, to be equally without merit. Panera stands firmly by the safety of our products,” per USA Today.