A Texas college student died on a first date after a restaurant she regularly frequented allegedly changed an ingredient in her order.
Alison Pickering, 23, was a student at Tarleton State University, when she visited a restaurant on May 12, 2023, and ordered the “mahi mahi” – a dish she had eaten before and that catered to her severe peanut allergy, as reported by CBS News.
But, unbeknown to the waiting staff and Alison, the recipe had changed – it now included peanut sauce, said the New York Post.
When her body started to react, chaos unfolded, Alison’s father Grover Pickering said.
“She took a few bites, [and] realized something was wrong. She did her EpiPen. The ambulance came. She actually walked to the ambulance talking to them, but somewhere along the way things went downhill”, he told CBS.
Ultimately, she fell unconcious and never woke up. Her obituary said said she died from a “severe anaphylactic shock from ingesting peanuts that were not disclosed on the restaurant menu.”
The 23-year-old had been aware of her allergy since childhood after reportedly coming down in hives at preschool after consuming another child’s sandwich.
Alison’s father added: “She would feel it in her lips and in her throat and so we would take trips to the ER.”
Her mother, Joy Pickering, told CBS that her daughter would always stick to choosing a restaurant she’d visited before and one that she could ultimately trust to manage her allergies.
In light of their loss, the Pickerings are calling for transparent communication at restaurants as well as additional training for all staff in Texas, particuarly when it comes to allergins. They are reportedly fielding the idea of working with the Texas Restaurant Association.
“It’s tragic and it doesn’t need to happen to anyone else,” Grover Pickering said.
“[We want to] determine what guidelines could be put in place to help restaurants have better communication to their customers as far as ingredients, much like labels on grocery store items you buy,” he added
The Independent contacted the Texas Restaurant Association for comment.
