We Remember Our First Mudslide

By Chuck Sudo in News on Apr 19, 2011 6:40PM

What is it with chain restaurants accidentally serving children alcohol recently? It hit real close to home Sunday when a 4-year-old eating with her mother at a South Side Chili's had to be treated for alcohol overdose when the milkshake she thought was drinking was actually a mudslide.

The incident occurred at a Chili's at 119th Street. Brooklynn Davis took four sips of the mudslide before telling her mother, Tyree, that it tasted strange. By that time, a waitress approached the Davis' table with the correct order. Chili's management said the waitress had only been working for a week and didn't know that alcoholic beverages were served in different glassware, and offered to comp the meal, but Tyree Davis called police and took photographs of the two drinks. Brooklynn Davis was taken to Metro South Hospital and treated for the aforementioned alcohol overdose.

Never mind the waitress's inexperience. Let's ask the obvious question: what about the bartender? Shouldn't the bartender be culpable in this, as well, and let the waitress know that the drink in question contained alcohol and isn't for a 4-year-old? That just seems like common sense. And what's going on at Chili's, Applebee's and other chain family restaurants where staff are confusing alcoholic drinks for non-alcoholic beverages?