Bloody Band-Aid Soup Shocker - Benihana, Chandler Arizona

3025 West Chandler Boulevard, Chandler, 85226 Arizona, United States

My recent experience at this Benihana was not just disappointing — it was absolutely revolting, traumatic, and one of the most horrific dining experiences of my life. We sat at our table for nearly an hour before food was served, while our waitress repeatedly vanished for 30 minutes at a time. When she was around, she looked unkempt, bothered, unprofessional, and downright careless. She offered no apologies, no service, and no sense of urgency. But nothing could prepare me for what happened next: I found a USED, BLOODY BAND-AID floating in my soup. Yes, you read that correctly — a filthy, contaminated band-aid, served in my food. I cannot begin to describe the wave of nausea and disgust that overtook me. I immediately lost my appetite, felt physically sick, and was unable to eat another bite for the remainder of the night. To make it even more unbearable, the waitress refused to even clear the contaminated plate until I explicitly asked her to remove it. She brushed it off as though it was nothing, as though I hadn’t just been served a biohazard. This wasn’t just “unsanitary” — it was vile, dangerous, and traumatizing. The manager’s response was no better. While he comped the meal, there was no genuine empathy or concern for my wellbeing. He never returned to check on me, never offered even a glass of water, and certainly didn’t go the extra step of offering to cover drinks or extend any courtesy beyond the bare minimum. It was cold, dismissive, and insulting. The incident was merely an inconvenience for them, rather than a truly horrific violation of basic food safety. To make matters worse, our waitress — the same one who vanished all night, ignored us, and left me mortified — had the audacity to pressure us and blatantly ask multiple times about leaving a tip. She even handed me a copy of what the bill “would have been” so we could calculate gratuity. The lack of shame, accountability, and audacity is beyond comprehension and truly staggering. Additionally, everyone at our shared teppanyaki table had been served and was drinking the exact same soup. When the other guests found out what was in my bowl, they were horrified. One party immediately pushed their bowls aside, refusing to take another sip, and another group actually got up and left the restaurant entirely because they couldn’t bear to stay and continue their meal. It sickens me to think how many other guests in the restaurant may have been exposed that same night, since this soup is served with every single meal. I left sick to my stomach and furious that a once-trusted name like Benihana could allow such filth, negligence, and disgusting treatment of its guests. This is not just bad service. This is a health hazard, disgrace, and absolutely unforgivable. And if that wasn’t enough, I later did some research. To my shock, I discovered that Benihana currently holds a D- rating with the Better Business Bureau, and there have been hundreds of reported food poisoning complaints across multiple locations nationwide. This is not just an isolated incident — it’s a disturbing pattern. I will never set foot in another Benihana again, and I strongly urge anyone reading this to protect yourself and your loved ones by staying far away. Choose any other teppanyaki restaurant that values basic cleanliness and compassion because here, you’re gambling with your health and your safety.  | Symptoms: Nausea