Lawsuit Claims Rodent Was Baked Into Chick-fil-A Sandwich

PHILADELPHIA (WWJ/AP) - A lawsuit claims a suburban Philadelphia woman got an undesirable extra topping in her Chick-fil-A sandwich: a dead rodent.

Ellen Manfalouti has sued in Bucks County Court over the tiny rodent she claims was baked into the bottom bun of her chicken sandwich.

The 46-year-old told The Philadelphia Inquirer her co-worker picked up the sandwich at a Langhorne restaurant in November. The two started to eat when she "felt something funny" and thought the bun was burned.

Her co-worker said she knew it was a rodent because she saw the whiskers and tail.

According to Manfalouti's attorney, William Davis, the Atlanta-based fast-food chain blamed the franchise owner which in turn blamed the bakery.

As reported by the Bucks County Currier Times, Davis said the sandwich was then sent to "a lab of the bakery's choosing," and the lab "confirmed the presence of a rat or mouse baked into the bun." The bakery's insurance company denied responsibility, Davis said, leaving his client no choice but to file suit.

The Currier Times reports Manfalouti is seeking damages for negligence in failing to examine the food products served, failing to ensure that the food served was free of foreign objects and/or vermin and failing to maintain a sanitary and safe environment.

The suit asks for more than $50,000 for physical and psychological damages including intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Davis called it "outrageous" that the restaurant could serve something like this to a customer without noticing the problem. He said the incident has a horrible effect on his client "who is still trying to move past both the immediate physical shock and nausea, as well as the lasting emotional shock of the incident."

Chick-fil-A owner Dave Heffernan said in a statement they're  of the guest's allegations and an investigation is ongoing, adding that the company can't comment on litigation.

© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.