* This article contains an image that might upset sensitive readers.
Cape Town – Imagine the horror on suddenly chewing on something unfamiliar while tucking into your favourite burger at a fast-food outlet – only to discover it’s a severed human finger.
Then, while still in shock, observing the outlet carrying on serving customers like nothing had happened after they had been alerted to the gruesome discovery.
This happened to Estefany Benitez at a Hot Burger outlet in Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia on Sunday. She posted images of the rotting finger on Facebook along with videos of her waiting to speak to a company representative at one of her favourite fast-food chains.
Later, a Hot Burger spokesperson called the matter an ’’unfortunate incident’’ and explained that a worker in the factory where the burger was prepared had lost part of his index finger while preparing the meat. They also claimed that “nothing like this has ever happened to us before”.
However, the authorities investigating the case of a ’’rotting’’ human finger found in a hamburger say that a worker had lost two fingers in the industrial accident – and they can’t trace the second finger.
Subsequently, the Vice Minister for the Defence of User and Consumer Rights decided to temporarily close the branch and impose a fine on the company.
Benitez says in one video viewed over 60 000 times: ’’Here we are at the magnificent Hot Burger where a finger ended up in my burger. I'll post a photo of the finger right away.’’
According to Benitez, a store representative had offered to close the restaurant while she was still there, but then ’’carried on serving customers like nothing had happened’’.
It is not yet known whether Benitez will take legal action.
IOL