Gabrielle Lien Ho, a 25-year-old woman from Winnipeg, is suing Tim Hortons alleging that a staff error led to a severe allergic reaction. The mistake involved the addition of cream instead of almond milk to her tea, which led to her heart stopping for several minutes. The lawsuit was filed against the popular coffee and food chain, along with Restaurant Brands International, the company that owns Tim Hortons, and the operator of the Winnipeg location that Ho visited.
The statement of claim alleges that the defendants failed to properly train employees on how to handle drink requests requiring modifications or substitutions. Additionally, the claim states that Tim Hortons failed to advise Ho of the risks of ordering through the app and that staff at the location failed to properly check the order. Ho’s injuries were allegedly the result of cream being added to her tea instead of almond milk.
An email from Tim Hortons stated that they cannot comment on the case due to it being before the courts, but the company emphasized that they take allergies seriously.
The lawsuit states that on the morning of June 9, Ho used the Tim Hortons mobile app to order a tea with almond milk. After taking one sip of her tea, Ho immediately began suffering from an allergic reaction. She was assisted by her mother and a co-worker who drove her to the hospital, where she experienced a severe health deterioration. The statement of claim stipulated that she lost consciousness and required CPR until her heart restarted.
Following her hospitalization, Ho developed additional health complications, including vision loss and weakness on her left side. The lawsuit claims that she may never make a full recovery and continues to live with fatigue, tremors, and balance issues, which prevent her from carrying out daily activities without assistance. Ho is suing for general damages for pain and suffering, as well as a trust on behalf of her mother, who had to take time off work to care for her. Her lawyer, Jason Harvey, also stated that Tim Hortons should make changes to its app to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.