Restaurants change drink policies after toddlers given alcohol

(shutterstock/Elena Itsenko/shutterstock.com)

Three family restaurant chains have changed their beverage policies and are retraining staff after two toddlers were served alcohol in separate incidents in the US.

At a Detroit-area Applebee's, a 15-month-old boy was accidentally served margarita mix instead of apple juice earlier this month. The incident was blamed on a mislabeled container of alcohol.

Servers at Applebee's will now pour apple juice at the table from single-serve containers.

In a separate incident at an Olive Garden in Florida, a two-year-old was given tropical sangria instead of orange juice in March.

In an interview with industry magazine Nation's Restaurant News, Darden Restaurants Inc., spokesman Rich Jeffers said the chain, which also owns Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse among others, said all alcoholic drinks will now be made to order instead of being made from pre-mixed batches.

The incidents have prompted other restaurant chains, which have been no doubt keeping an eye on events, to revisit their policies. All staff at rival Ruby Tuesday's 900 locations, for example, are now required to watch a video about the chain's beverage procedures.

Meanwhile, Applebee's, which is the largest casual dining chain in the world, is in damage control mode and has issued a public apology. The family, however, has launched a lawsuit against the chain for $25,000. The boy's mother said her son started acting strangely after drinking from his sippy cup. After dozing off with his head on the table, mom Taylor Dill-Reese said the boy woke up giddy and happy, saying "hi" and "goodbye" to the walls.

Last week's mishap isn't an isolated incident at the chain. In 2007, a two-year-old from California was also served margarita mix instead of apple juice. In 2005, a five-year-old at a New York City Applebee's was likewise served Long Island Iced Tea instead of apple juice, prompting the family to launch a $75,000 lawsuit.

Applebee's has locations in 15 countries including Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Lebanon.