Finger In Arby's Sandwich: Michigan Teen Ryan Hart Spat Out 'Rubbery' Digit (Mealbreakers)

Mealbreaker (n.): a nasty, non-edible surprise found in food while it is being eaten; often lawsuit-provoking, sometimes fabricated, always disgusting.

A Michigan teenager found an unexpected item on his Arby's sandwich: a human finger.

Ryan Hart, 14, was eating a roast beef sandwich when he bit into a piece he described as particularly rubbery. He spit out the item, which turned out to be a part of a finger measuring about one-inch long and a quarter-inch thick, the Jackson Citizen Patriot reports.

The incident occurred at the Arby's restaurant on N. West Avenue in Jackson, Mich., on May 11, just after Hart and his mother had gone to the establishment for a quick bite after school.

Health officials said a worker likely left her area after cutting her finger on a meat slicer, according to the Jackson Citizen Patriot. Other employees, allegedly unaware of their co-worker's injury, continued with their regular duties. Once informed of the incident, the restaurant team stopped food production and cleaned and sanitized the restaurant.

Hart is doing fine, after getting his blood drawn and getting prescribed medicine at the hospital.

Visit Michigan Live to read what Hart and his mother had to say about the incident.

News of the fast food surprise comes just days after a Reddit user posted an image of what seems to be a deep-fried cockroach in his McDonald's hash brown.

The customer said he brought the item to the store manager, who then offered him a voucher for a free breakfast.

Hart's discovery calls to mind an incident said to have occurred at a Wendy's in San Jose, Calif., in 2005.

Anna Ayala claimed to have bitten into a severed finger she found in her bowl of chili. After she and her husband confessed the scheme was a hoax, the woman was sentenced to nine years in jail.

However, Ayala was released after serving four years and was subsequently banned from ever entering the establishment again.

Want more Mealbreakers? Check out the slideshow below.

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• Parasite In Whole Fish

  In April 2013, a supermarket shopper discovered a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/18/tongue-eating-louse-supermarket-fish_n_3111599.html?utm_hp_ref=mealbreakers" target="_hplink">tongue-eating louse</a> inside a whole fish.

• Snake In Bread

  In April 2013, a Redditor discovered a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/15/snake-bread_n_3084798.html?utm_hp_ref=mealbreakers" target="_hplink">snake baked in bread</a>.

• Mold In Minute Maid

  In March 2103, a Redditor discovered <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/14/mold-minute-maid-orange_n_2879519.html?utm_hp_ref=mealbreakers" target="_hplink">gross mold</a> in a Minute Maid can.

• 'Wrinkled Brain' In KFC Chicken

  In January 2013, a student discovered a f<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/07/ibrahim-langoo-brain-kidney-kfc_n_2425917.html?utm_hp_ref=mealbreakers" target="_hplink">ried kidney that looked like a brain</a> in KFC chicken.

• Black Widow Spider In Whole Foods Grapes

  A Connecticut woman, Nora Weiss, received a shock in December when she found a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/05/nora-weiss-black-widow-spider-grapes_n_2245459.html" target="_hplink">live black widow spider tucked amongst the organic grapes she'd recently purchased from Whole Foods</a>. A representative for the grocery chain stressed that the "safety of our shoppers is incredibly important." Weiss received a full refund.

• Nose Ring In McDonald's Breakfast Burrito

  In November, Frances Rosario found a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/30/frances-rosario-atlanta-mom-nose-ring-mcdonalds-burrito-video_n_2218190.html?utm_hp_ref=mealbreakers" target="_hplink">nose ring in her daughter's breakfast burrito at an Atlanta area McDonald's</a>. Rosario said she was rudely rebuffed by the McDonald's staff and received no response from McDonald's corporate office.

• Plastic Fragments In Chicken Enchiladas

  In November, nearly <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/01/enchilada-recall_n_2056970.html" target="_hplink">11,400 pounds of frozen chicken enchiladas were recalled</a> by Food Source, L.P. because they might have contained plastic fragments. The products, 57-oz. boxes of "Bremer Party Size White Meat Chicken Enchiladas," were shipped to stores in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

• Live Frog In Walmart Greens

  Before Dwanita Pitman of Minneola, Fla. could open her bag of Marketside greens that she purchased at a Walmart on Thursday, Oct. 18, she noticed a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/24/frog-in-salad-bag-walmart_n_2010923.html?utm_hp_ref=mealbreakers" target="_hplink">live frog camped out inside</a>.

• Dead Frog In Spinach Greens

  Londoner Sarah Moss was disturbed to find a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/20/dead-frog-spinach-salad_n_1896701.html?utm_hp_ref=mealbreakers" target="_hplink">dead frog in her bag of spinach greens</a> that she'd purchased from grocery chain Tesco. Tesco at first refused to compensate Moss, but ended up forking over a £10 gift voucher.

• Moth Larvae In Clif Bar

  Redditor DonutPlains got a shock when he unwrapped a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/03/clif-bar-moth-larvae_n_1935436.html?utm_hp_ref=mealbreakers" target="_hplink">Clif Bar to find it covered with moth larvae</a>. A company representative refuted the notion that the bugs got into the packaging at the factory, suggesting instead that they entered in transit or in the poster's pantry. Still, the Clif Bars rep offered to send along some replacement bars.

• Finger In Arby's Sandwich

  A Michigan teenager found a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/17/finger-arbys-sandwich_n_1524129.html?utm_hp_ref=mealbreakers" target="_hplink">human finger in his Arby's sandwich</a> in May of this year. It belonged to a worker who sliced the appendage at the restaurant's meat slicer.

• Raw Chicken Sandwich At KFC

  An image posted to Reddit in September showed what could be the worst KFC ever: an <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/17/kfc-raw-chicken-sandwich-photo_n_1890067.html?utm_hp_ref=mealbreakers" target="_hplink">raw chicken sandwich</a>. Worse yet, a bite was missing. The incident allegedly took place in Ontario, Canada.

• Syringe In Campbell's Soup

  Caveat: this one was definitely fake. A man was caught trying to extort money from Campbell's by <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/23/daniel-ferris-campells-syringe_n_2005140.html?utm_hp_ref=mealbreakers" target="_hplink">planting a syringe in his can of soup</a> in Australia in October 2012.

• Worms In KFC Sandwich

  A family found <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/08/worms-in-kfc-fried-chicked_n_1949704.html?1351102868" target="_hplink">live worms in a KFC fried chicken sandwich</a> at an outpost outside Kerala, in southern India, in early October 2012 -- prompting a huge investigations of the KFCs throughout the region.

• Plastic Shards In McDonald's Cookie

  An Oklahoma woman cut her tongue on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/01/mcdonalds-cookie_n_1928954.html" target="_hplink">sharp shards of plastic she found in a McDonald's cookie</a> in September 2012.

• KFC Workers Served Expired Chicken

  In September, workers at a Conroe, Texas KFC location <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/12/kfc-spoiled-chicken-conroe-texas_n_1876870.html" target="_hplink">allegedly served spoiled chicken that was 16 days old</a> -- six days later than the KFC policy allows.

• Rusty Razor Blade Found In Jolly Ranchers Bag

  California mother Amy Hu was horrified to find an <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/31/razor-blade-jolly-ranchers_n_1723814.html" target="_hplink">old, rusty razor blade in a bag of Jolly Ranchers</a>.

• Lizard Found Baked Into Bread

  In July, 10-year-old William Evans from Hawkchurch, England, found what he claims was a lizard baked into a loaf of bread.

• Spider In Chef Boyardee Ravioli

  In June of 2012, Florida resident Victoria Harrah claims she got quite a shock recently when a piece of beef ravioli from a can of Chef Boyardee contained an unwelcome additive: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/14/spider-in-chef-boyardee-ravioli-can_n_1597369.html" target="_hplink">a large spider</a>.

• Used Band-Aid In Chinese Food

  In June of 2012, a New York man found this <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/used-band-aid-chinese-food_n_1586719.html" target="_hplink">used Band-Aid</a> in his delivery order from a local Chinese restaurant.

• Cockroach In McD Hash Brown

  In May 2012, Reddit user LinkBoyJT posted an image Wednesday that might make your skin crawl. After ordering a McDonald's hash brown and eating most of it, he says he was startled to find what he claims was a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/16/roach-mcdonalds-hash-browns_n_1520862.html" target="_hplink">deep-fried insect stuck to the bottom half</a>.

• Chewed Up Pen Found In Ground Beef

  In April 2012, a worker discovered a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/01/chewed-up-pen-ground-beef_n_1467777.html" target="_hplink">pen in a meat grinder</a> after some of the meat was likely already for sale.

• Woman Finds Razor Blade In McDonald's Breakfast

  In April 2012, an Illinois woman ordered eggs from McDonald's and apparently discovered a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/18/razor-blade-mcdonalds-breakfast_n_1435658.html?1335887776" target="_hplink">razor blade beneath them</a>. The managers explained to police that razors are used to "clean tight corners"... whatever that means.

• Maggot In Wendy's Fries Alleged

  In March 2012, a woman claimed she found a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/maggot-in-wendys-fries_n_1388291.html" target="_hplink">live maggot</a> in her fries. According to Wendy's, the local health department determined that a Noctuid Moth larva, found only in outdoor habitats, was provided to them by the woman as the "maggot." The health department found no evidence of any health violations in follow-up inspections of the Wendy's facility after the woman's claim. <em>Photo from <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/theimpulsivebuy/" target="_hplink">Flickr: theimpulsivebuy</a></em>

• McFeather In McNugget

  In March 2012, a woman claims she found a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/20/mcnugget-has-feather_n_1367461.html?ref=food&ir=Food" target="_hplink">McFeather in her McNugget.</a>

• Animal Toe In Spinach Artichoke Dip

  Andrew Brodsky, 35, found an unidentified animal toe</a> in his container of Sabra Spinach & Artichoke dip.

• Coil In Fried Chicken

  In January 2012, fifty-year-old bus driver Lajzer Grynsztajn claims he <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/30/man-swallows-2-inch-coil_n_1242472.html?1330621038" target="_hplink">nearly choked to death</a> on such a coil after ordering two chicken breasts and fries from JFK Fried Chicken in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. <em>Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrea_nguyen/6242324853/sizes/z/in/photostream/" target="_hplink">Flickr user: Andrea_Nguyen</a></em>

• Mouse In Big Mac Buns

  In January 2011, a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/17/mouse-in-big-mac_n_1210372.html?" target="_hplink">mouse got trapped in a bag of Big Mac buns</a> at a Philadelphia McDonald's.

• Whopper Spit Case

  A deputy sheriff alleges that someone spit in his Whopper...and the case has made it to the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/11/whopper-spit-case-edward-bylsma_n_1200044.html" target="_hplink">Supreme Court</a> as of January 2012.

• Semen In Yogurt

  A grocery store worker <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/06/semen-tainted-yogurt-anthony-garcia_n_998868.html" target="_hplink">pleaded guilty to handing out a semen-tainted yogurt sample</a> at an Albuquerque market.

• Fingertip In Applebee's Salad

  Louisiana woman Mary Deal Chambers-Johnson sued Applebee's for damages after she claimed a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/08/fingertip-applebees-salad_n_954530.html" target="_hplink">fingertip in her lunch salad</a> gave her post-traumatic stress disorder.

• Fly In Yogurt

  A Chinese woman found a fly in her yogurt in July 2011. When she asked for compensation, the manufacturer asked her <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/11/mealbreakers-yogurt-fly-autopsy_n_924617.html" target="_hplink">to prove that the fly had died before she opened the container -- by getting the insect autopsied</a>. (Flies can not be autopsied.)

• Bloody Bandaid In Pizza Hut Pizza

  An upstate New York man found <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/01/mealbreakers-bandaid-pizza-hut_n_915489.html#s319946&title=Disemboweled_Mouse_In" target="_hplink">a bloody bandaid in baked into the crust of his Pizza Hut pizza</a> in June of 2011. He sued after the company failed to address his concerns.

• Disemboweled Mouse In Packaged Salad

  A couple found <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/30/mealbreakers-mouse-salad-blt-blood_n_887882.html" target="_hplink">a disembowled mouse in their Dole packaged salad mix</a> in June 2011. They'd already started eating the salad by the time they found the mealbreaker; they promptly vomited.

• Human Blood On BLT & Fries

  Cancer survivor Susan Mosher was outraged after she found <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/30/mealbreakers-bloodied-blt_n_888559.html" target="_hplink">human blood on her BLT and fries</a> at a Cracker Barrel in Kingwood, TX, in late June of 2011.

• Caterpillar In Weight Watchers Cake

  A dieting woman found a <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2008450/Dieter-finds-live-caterpillar-Weight-Watchers-snack.html?ITO=1490" target="_hplink">live caterpillar crawling on a Weight Watchers-brand slice of packaged cake</a> in June 2011. She called it gross enough to put her off of cake forever.

• Razor Blade in Wal-Mart Ice Cream

  An East Texas woman found <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeBUII0VFKk" target="_hplink">a razor blade in a carton of Walmart ice cream</a> in February 2011. Considering the danger, she was surprisingly understanding. She told CBS, "I think it's just one of those random accidents that happen. When you make that much of a product and that many products, you're bound to have a machine break."

• Green Pill In Trail Mix

  A Salt Lake City teen was hospitalized after biting into <a href="http://www.abc4.com/content/news/taking_action/story/Salt-Lake-teen-finds-mysterious-capsule-inside/zQSjtTghzEW7b8yHORpxBQ.cspx" target="_hplink">a mysterious green pill in a bag of trail mix</a> she'd bought at Whole Foods in January 2011. The teen felt numbness and pain throughout her throat. Whole Foods recalled the product from stores around Utah.

• Condom In French Onion Soup

  A California man claimed to find <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,534460,00.html" target="_hplink">a condom in his French onion soup</a> at a Claim Jumper restaurant, also in July 2009. The restaurant's PR firm said that they found no evidence of wrongdoing after conducting an investigation of the matter.

• Used Tampon In Steak

  In July 2009, a German tourist claimed to find <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=6914735" target="_hplink">a used tampon in his steak</a> at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York.

• Dead Mouse In Bread

  In 2009, a man from Bath, UK found <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/30/dead-mouse-found-in-bread-photo_n_745069.html" target="_hplink">a dead mouse in a loaf of bread</a>.

• Paperclips In Muffins

  At the height of the Beijing Olympics, reporters pounced on the Chinese food industry after <a href="http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/muffins-spur-beijing-scare/story-e6freoof-1111116061193" target="_hplink">athletes found paperclips in muffins served them at an official function</a>. The story's most surprising revelation may just be that Olympic athletes eat muffins.

• Live Bullet In Hot Dog

  No one said hot dogs promote longevity, but it's not like eating a frankfurter is as dangerous as someone sticking a gun in your face--unless your name is Olivia Chaines and you're eating it Costco. The then-31-year-old had <a href="http://www.clickorlando.com/news/3274884/detail.html" target="_hplink">swallowed a piece of a Hebrew National brand hotdog</a> in the shopping aisle of a Costco in May 2004 before she realized that it contained a piece of metal. X-rays revealed that the hot dog had contained a live bullet.

• Semen In Spicy Tuna Sushi Sauce

  A New York woman <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/05/mealbreakers-semen-sushi_n_919778.html#s323488&title=Bloody_Bandaid_In" target="_hplink">sued a sushi bar after she tasted semen in the sauce atop her spicy tuna</a> in June 2008; she says she still has samples frozen in her refrigerator.

• Rodent Tooth In Planter's Peanuts

  In 2006, a 52-year-old man from Illinois sued Kraft Foods for $55,000 to compensate for the physical and emotional distress he suffered after allegedly biting into <a href="http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12843428/" target="_hplink">a "non-human animal tooth" in a container of Planter's Peanuts</a>.

• Gold Tooth In Mars Bar

  Finding <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/popcandy/post/2010/03/wonka-candy-launches-a-real-life-golden-ticket-contest/1" target="_hplink">a golden ticket in your candy bar</a> is great. But a gold tooth? Not so much. That's what happened to <a href="http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1694237.print/" target="_hplink">a 62-year-old British man in September of 2007</a>. He contacted Mars to try and receive compensation, but got no substantive response.

• Human Skin In Chicken Sandwich

  Kitchen accidents happen. Knives are sharp; sometimes a cook will slice off a piece of skin the course of an evening. It's understandable. Not understandable? Failing to clean up the product of an accident. That, apparently, is what happened at an Ohio Arby's in June 2007, when a man found <a href="http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7634321/" target="_hplink">a piece of human skin sitting on the lettuce in his chicken sandwich</a>. The man sued, refusing a settlement that Arby's initially offered him.

• Mouse In Popeye's Fried Chicken

  A Baltimore man was eating <a href="http://www.wbaltv.com/r/2512486/detail.html" target="_hplink">fried chicken from Popeye's in September of 2003</a> when he discovered that the fast food store had inadvertently fried a mouse along with the chicken parts.

• Syringe In Burger King Burger

  In June of 2001, 22-year-old Angelina Cruz bit into a burger from Burger King--and <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2001/07/28/2001-07-28_fast-food_customer__i_bit_ne.html" target="_hplink">got pricked in the tongue by a syringe</a>. Citing HIV fears, she sued the chain for $9 million.

Comments

[kelly198426]

10:34 AM on 05/20/2012

Isn't it funny how Arby's Owns Wendy's......long time ago Wendy's had a finger in the chili issue and how fitting that now Arby's is having a finger in the roast beef issue!!! LMFAO.

[YeOldeTimeTraveler]

10:02 AM on 05/20/2012

Eating at Arby's, McDonalds, Burger King will eventually kill you. Eat at home, you'll live a longer, healthier life. TheKnownUniverse.com

[Gretchen Graham]

09:42 AM on 05/20/2012

These are all reasons I NEVER eat in a restaurant...ANY restaurant.... ever.

[LibbyIdaho]

08:52 AM on 05/20/2012

That kid's college is paid in full!

[pastblaster]

12:20 AM on 05/20/2012

I'll be surprised if the Arby's worker doesn't sue the kid for eating her finger part.

[Aurical]

11:01 PM on 05/19/2012

No, we don't need an FDA or any regulations on food standards, none at all. It would be an entire fist in the sandwich in Libertarian World!

[will9ams]

08:58 PM on 05/19/2012

I hope it wasn't his own finger.

[laboomaha]

07:48 PM on 05/19/2012

Anybody here remember when Arby's made roast beef sandwiches out of real beef? Used to have a big roast hanging in a glass cooker right on the front counter. Not sure what they make their beef sandwiches out of now. Pressed beef and finger parts, I guess.

[benjamincardozo]

08:11 PM on 05/19/2012

yes I remember that, they were great...late 1960s I think...

[Kerry Cook]

08:13 PM on 06/14/2012

I wasn't even a shiver in my father's loins at that time. I never got into the "roast beast" at Arby's, nor anything they serve. I did like Roy Roger's "roast beast" but even that was a sort of pressed, pseudo-meat product. A little pickle, just 1 slice of raw onion & their drippy, runny BBQ sauce made for a heavenly manna.

[wherestheparade]

07:20 PM on 05/19/2012

Finger licking....oh...wait...thats the other place. There isn't enough Arby's sauce on the planet!!!

[ComradeDave]

05:36 PM on 05/19/2012

ONE more reason to COOK at home. I cook all my meals - so, No problems. They are also healthier and better for you. There is nothing like a FRESH HOME COOKED MEAL. One reason why 90% of my relatives live beyond 100-years of age.

[Kerry Cook]

08:20 PM on 06/14/2012

What a long, boring existence that must be. I avoid fast food joints, but have some favorite diners & restaurants that are immaculate & use fresh, real food staples to make delightful meals. I guess a long life may be a blessing to a few, however I'd think it more of a curse if I was not able to remain staunchly independent & the heart ache of losing good friends & family would make for a very sad time. Luckily, women in my family (who weren't/aren't nearly as sick as I am with auto-immune issues) rarely reach 90. Most go in their late 60s & we all know to make every minute count & to find joy in life so that we truly live while we can. I hate to inform you that unless you grow your own crops to make your own flour, do not use any canned nor frozen foods: you are still getting the occasional bug or rodent part or excretia in that wholesome diet.

[Iwasderelict]

05:07 PM on 05/19/2012

Did anyone else think of Scott Tenorman?

[Katie Perusse]

04:13 PM on 05/19/2012

I worked at Burger King a was slicing tomatoes..and took 2 slices of my finger with it..and fired me the next day....I still have the scar on my finger.

[marifaith]

09:29 AM on 05/20/2012

You could actually sue them for that since most states, if not all, allow for a worker's comp claim. I know a bunch try to pull that by firing an employee right after hoping they don't understand the law & their rights.

[Katie Perusse]

08:20 PM on 05/22/2012

Thank you for commenting on my post; it happened in the 70's and I was 14 yrs old, they didn't care back then, we were just cheep labor for $1.05 an hour and had to wear those stupid hats. It was a lesson learned.

[Corp Prophet]

04:10 PM on 05/19/2012

"A Michigan teenager found an unexpected item on his Arby's sandwich: a human finger," Rahm Emmanual added, "Hey! Give that back, it's mine!!!"

[saj1000]

01:52 PM on 05/19/2012

Aren't the fingers the tastiest part of the sandwich?

[Jennand]

01:50 PM on 05/19/2012

So, this had to happen - just after i had a big mac last nite? Special sauce? Why is it pink?

[saj1000]

02:04 PM on 05/19/2012

That's the blood-and-semen sauce.