Following the “charged lemonade” death and lawsuit, Panera adds disclosures to their menus

Following the death of college student Sarah Katz, which her parents and family attorney allege was caused by her drinking a “charged lemonade” from Panera, the sandwich chain has added disclaimers and warnings on their menus, both in-stores and online, about the caffeine content of their drinks. In a lawsuit against Panera, the Katz family suggest that Sarah, who had a heart condition that was exacerbated by the consumption of caffeine, was unaware of the high caffeine content of the “charged” drink, which contains as much caffeine as an energy drink, because Panera marketed the product as “clean.” 

On the beverage page on Panera.com, there’s now a large disclaimer on the image of the drink itself that reads “contains caffeine” in large font and another message underneath about this” that reads “naturally flavored, plant-based, with about as much CAFFEINE as our Dark Roast Coffee. Use in moderation. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women.” The same message is available on DoorDash. 

The charged lemonade contains 390 milligrams of caffeine, which, according to Elizabeth Chuck at NBC News, is very, very close to the 400 milligram daily maximum of caffeine that the FDA recommends for a “healthy adult.”