A Popeyes restaurant in Houston, Texas, is facing a lawsuit after two customers alleged they found a "condom-like foreign object" embedded inside a piece of fried chicken during what was supposed to be a routine family meal.
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According to a legal petition filed on August 3 and obtained by People, plaintiffs Justin Howard and Danielle McKinnon are seeking more than $1.5 million in damages from Popeyes and its parent company, Restaurant Brands International, over the alleged incident.
Customers claim they discovered foreign object while eating
The lawsuit states that the couple purchased fried chicken from a Popeyes outlet in Houston on July 25, 2026.
According to the petition, the meal initially appeared normal until Howard bit into a piece of chicken and allegedly discovered what was described as a "condom-like foreign object" embedded inside it.
"The meal appeared ordinary. It was not," the petition states.
The plaintiffs claim the discovery immediately brought the meal to an end, leaving both customers feeling physically sick and emotionally distressed.
They alleged they feared they may have unknowingly consumed contaminated food before discovering the object and worried about possible exposure to bacteria, bodily fluids, sexually transmitted diseases or other harmful substances.
The lawsuit states that the couple had no way of determining what the object actually was, how it came to be inside the chicken or whether contamination had spread to the rest of the meal.
Lawsuit alleges negligence and food safety failures
Howard and McKinnon accuse Popeyes and Restaurant Brands International of negligence, gross negligence and multiple food safety failures.
According to the petition, the plaintiffs allege the restaurant failed to maintain proper sanitation standards, employee hygiene, food handling procedures, quality control measures and adequate staff supervision.
The lawsuit argues that had appropriate food safety protocols been followed, the allegedly contaminated chicken would never have been served.
The plaintiffs are also pursuing claims of negligent hiring, training, supervision and retention of employees responsible for food preparation.
In addition, the lawsuit alleges the food was unreasonably dangerous for consumption, breached implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for human consumption, and violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices–Consumer Protection Act (DTPA) by allegedly representing the food as safe.
Customers say restaurant staff laughed at complaint
The petition further alleges that after discovering the object, the couple returned to the restaurant to report the incident.
According to the lawsuit, employees allegedly laughed at them and repeatedly attempted to replace the chicken instead of immediately investigating the complaint or issuing a refund.
The plaintiffs claim they were eventually refunded but argue that management's response demonstrated that customer safety was treated as secondary to minimising the incident.
Plaintiffs seek jury trial
Howard and McKinnon claim they continue to suffer physical discomfort, emotional distress and mental anguish following the incident. They are also seeking compensation for alleged healthcare expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and other damages.
The couple has requested a jury trial and is seeking more than $1.5 million in damages.
Popeyes and Restaurant Brands International had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of reporting. The claims made in the lawsuit remain allegations and have not been proven in court.
