US man suffers sharp pain while eating at Taco Bell, finds nose ring in food

Jeremy expressed frustration with the response from the Taco Bell manager, who, he felt, failed to take responsibility for the incident.

A Taco Bell customer from Virginia, US, has stirred the internet after he claimed to have nearly swallowed a nose ring while eating. Jeremy, a 33-year-old resident, ordered two steak-cheesy street chalupas from the fast-food chain on July 24.

As he was finishing his meal, he felt something sharp in his throat. According to a report in Newsweek, Jeremy managed to remove the object from his throat, only to find it stuck between his teeth when he tried to bite down again. He spat out the item and discovered it was a nose ring.

"The nose ring, now slightly bent from the bite, got pushed to the front of my mouth, and I spit it out. It took a small bit of my filling with it, and [I felt] a small sharp pain from the bite. I was in pure shock when I realised what it was. I looked at my wife, and she looked over and couldn't say anything," Jeremy recounted.

Found a nose ring in my taco bell today! byu/TheeSqueebles inmildlyinfuriating

The incident left Jeremy feeling unwell for two days, and he continues to suffer from a sore throat. "I decided to share it online because I thought it was so egregious that others would like to see it," he said. His post on Reddit has gone viral since July 24.

Jeremy expressed frustration with the response from the Taco Bell manager, who, he felt, failed to take responsibility for the incident. "I just wish the manager had a bit more integrity and would take responsibility for this. It very clearly was an employee who made a mistake, but instead, they used the rhetoric that it wasn't their fault. But who else could it be? If not the store, then the distribution centre, maybe, but that's less believable to me," he said.

Reflecting on the situation, Jeremy added, "Even if Taco Bell reaches out, they'll likely just offer gift cards or coupons, but why on Earth would I want to eat there again? A metal nose ring from another human was in my throat, and I almost choked—yet I'll be offered free tacos. There's no accountability, and no reason I'd want free tacos for mental and physical pain, no matter how small."

In response to the incident, Taco Bell released a statement to Newsweek, saying, "We take this very seriously. We are looking into this matter and strive to make things right with the customer."