A 32-year-old woman from Salem, Oregon, has filed a $155,000 lawsuit against iWingz, a local arcade and restaurant, claiming beer-battered onion rings triggered her rare hops allergy and caused anaphylactic shock.
The Incident Unfolds
In May 2024, Mui Van and her family, including her husband, children, and sister-in-law, visited iWingz for an early Mother’s Day dinner. Van inquired if the restaurant could prepare beer-battered onion rings without beer due to her allergy to hops, the plant that flavors beer. The server assured her, “Yeah, yeah, we can do that.”
However, the onion rings arrived pre-battered in a beer mixture. After one bite, Van experienced swelling lips and a squeezing sensation in her throat and chest. Her husband rushed her to the emergency room, where she entered anaphylactic shock.
Lawsuit Claims and Representation
Van’s attorneys, Jory Lange and Spencer Kelly, argue she relied on the server’s assurance. “She was trusting what she had been told by the restaurant,” Lange stated.
The suit highlights that diners must trust restaurants and grocers to disclose ingredients. “Unless you’re a farmer making your own food, you’ve got to be able to trust either the grocery store or the restaurant to tell you about what you’re putting in the food,” Lange added.
Aftermath and Restaurant Response
Since the event, Van reports heightened anxiety when dining out or shopping for potential hidden beer ingredients. This marks the only restaurant incident involving her allergy.
iWingz’s current menu lists “onion chips” as hand-breaded, though it remains unclear if beer features in the recipe. The restaurant has not listed beer-battered onion rings recently.
Understanding Hops Allergies
Hops, or Humulus lupulus, preserve beer’s freshness, enhance foam, and provide its signature taste. The U.S. produces most hops in Washington’s Yakima Valley.
