Dentures found – A New Jersey customer, Fernando Rodriguez, says dentures were found embedded in a Jersey Mike’s sandwich delivered through Grubhub. He filed a civil complaint on May 28 in Middlesex County, alleging negligence against Grubhub and Jersey Mike’s and seeking a ju
By the time the sandwich was in front of him, Fernando Rodriguez says it looked sealed for the trip—then the meal turned into something he describes as contamination.
Rodriguez filed a civil complaint on May 28 in Middlesex County after he received a Jersey Mike’s order delivered by Grubhub on April 27, 2025. The delivery went to his home in Bayville, about an hour from Trenton.
In the complaint. Rodriguez alleges the order was prepared. packaged. sealed. and/or secured by Jersey Mike’s and assigned to a Grubhub driver. He says that once the food arrived. it appeared “packaged and sealed with scotch tape.” But after opening and eating it. he found dentures “embedded within the sandwich.”.
The lawsuit argues that the presence of dentures rendered the food “contaminated, unsafe, adulterated, and unfit for human consumption.” It further claims Rodriguez experienced “extreme shock, disgust, emotional distress, nausea, loss of appetite, and physical revulsion” as a result of the incident.
Grubhub responded with a statement on June 26, saying it was “troubled by this report,” adding it “doesn’t reflect the high standard of service our customers expect.” The company also said it can confirm the individual involved “is no longer contracted to deliver with Grubhub.”
Jersey Mike’s did not provide an immediate response after contact on Friday.
Rodriguez’s complaint focuses on what happened before and during delivery. He says he believes the Grubhub worker opened, tampered with, handled, transported, and/or otherwise interfered with the food packaging and contents “in an unsafe and unsanitary manner” during the delivery process.
The filing alleges that the driver “negligently caused her dentures” to become embedded within the sandwich. It also states that a “reasonable food delivery driver” would recognize that opening sealed food packaging and handling food in an unsanitary manner creates a foreseeable risk of contamination and harm to the consumer.
Separate allegations target Grubhub’s operations. The complaint says Grubhub does not properly screen, supervise, train, or monitor its delivery drivers.
For Jersey Mike’s, Rodriguez argues the chain should have safeguarded the sandwich “in a sanitary and tamper-resistant manner,” seeking to establish that the food left the restaurant with protections that would have prevented tampering during transit.
Rodriguez and his attorneys are demanding a jury trial.
The dispute arrived as Jersey Mike’s was also gaining national attention for customer sentiment in a separate arena. A few weeks before this lawsuit. Jersey Mike’s dethroned Chick-fil-A as the top-rated quick-service restaurant. according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). which rates eateries based on thousands of customer surveys about recent experiences with major chains.
Chick-fil-A’s 11-year run at the top ended with 16,464 respondents knocking the chicken chain from its spot and placing Jersey Mike’s first. The sandwich chain was praised for freshness, food variety, and value.
Jersey Mike’s secured an ACSI score of 84 out of 100, finishing one point ahead of Chick-fil-A after adding 238 net new locations in 2025 and clearing $4.2 billion in sales.
A related ACSI report published June 16 said the U.S. restaurant industry faced difficulties in 2025, with total sales struggling to keep pace with inflation. In a market shaped by trade-offs. it said customers were placing greater emphasis on consistency. reliability. and perceived value rather than just price. with brands that deliver consistently enjoyable experiences gaining ground.
Rodriguez’s case and the ACSI ranking sit side by side in a way that heightens the stakes for both consumers and the companies involved. One is measured in survey responses about overall experiences; the other turns on a single delivered meal and what was found inside it.
As the lawsuit proceeds, the central question will be what the court makes of the alleged chain of handling—from preparation and packaging to delivery—and whether the legal standards for negligence apply as Rodriguez claims.
Grubhub Jersey Mike's lawsuit dentures food contamination Middlesex County Fernando Rodriguez delivery drivers American Customer Satisfaction Index Chick-fil-A
That’s absolutely disgusting. How does that even happen in a sealed sandwich??
I don’t buy the whole “sealed with scotch tape” thing. Like… scotch tape doesn’t magically make it safe. Either Jersey Mike’s messed up before pickup or the driver did something, and honestly both companies are shady.
So the dentures were in the sandwich but they say it was “secure” for the trip? Sounds like Grubhub should’ve checked packaging more. Also scotch tape… that’s like they’re saying it was tampered with, right? Poor guy.
I feel like this is why delivery apps should have cameras on the driver, because “hour from Trenton” is enough time for food to do whatever lol. But dentures?? That’s not just contamination, that’s like a whole other level. Grubhub saying the person isn’t contracted anymore is meaningless if the food was already wrong. I’m sure this’ll turn into a lawsuit nobody even reads.