Toddler Receives Sippy Cup Cocktail By Mistake at Applebee’s

By Anastacia Mott Austin

A family of five got an unpleasant surprise earlier this week when they discovered that the apple juice ordered by their toddler was actually a margarita.

Kim Mayorga, the boy’s mother, said her two-year-old son Julian ordered an apple juice, one of his favorite beverages, in the restaurant’s child-sized sippy cup. When it arrived, she noticed he was acting peculiarly.

She told reporters from The Contra Costa Times that Julian kept pushing away the drink and making strange faces. "Finally, I’m like, ‘That’s crazy, he loves apple juice," said Mayorga.

She checked the drink and said it smelled strongly of tequila.

"When I called the waitress over, I couldn’t believe what I was saying," said Mayorga to reporters. "’You served my son alcohol.’"

Vice president of the Applebee’s chain Randy Tei told the press that the restaurant keeps both apple juice and their "top-shelf" pre-mixed margaritas in identical bottles on ice, though they are labeled with their contents. The manager simply accidentally grabbed the wrong bottle, says Tei. Compounding the problem was the fact that the Applebee’s child’s sippy cup is a white, opaque design which makes it virtually impossible to see what’s inside. "We absolutely believe it was an honest mistake," said Tei.

Kim Mayorga agreed for the most part, except that later that evening, Julian became drowsy and started vomiting.

"I wasn’t going to make a big deal about it," she told reporters. "But then he got sick."

The family took Julian to a local hospital where he was treated and released. The restaurant chain will be reimbursing the Mayorga family for Julian’s medical bills, and have declared that the two types of beverages will no longer be stored in identical bottles.

The police department has handed the case to the local district attorney’s office, but no charges are expected to be filed.

Applebee’s has been "very apologetic," says Kim Mayorga, and offered the family a free meal. However, Mayorga doesn’t think she’ll take them up on it. She told reporters, "If they think I’m going back there, they’re ridiculous."