Oklahoma Arby's Manager Charged with Felony for Food Contamination Incident

In a shocking incident, a former Arby's manager in Oklahoma has been charged with felony poisoning after allegedly spitting on a customer's food while suffering from an active herpes outbreak. The customer, Jennica Church, has filed a civil lawsuit claiming she contracted HSV-1 after consuming the contaminated meal. The lawsuit details how the manager, Amanda Hendricks, knowingly prepared the food while infected and even boasted about the act. Church's family, who shared the meal, has reported emotional distress following the incident. This case raises serious concerns about food safety and employee conduct in the restaurant industry.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 26, 2026, 23:19 IST

Details of the Food Contamination Case

A former manager at an Arby's in Oklahoma is facing serious legal repercussions after allegedly contaminating a customer's meal by spitting on it while knowingly suffering from an active oral herpes outbreak. This incident has prompted a civil lawsuit from the affected customer, Jennica Church, who asserts that she contracted HSV-1 after consuming the tainted food.

Amanda Hendricks, aged 38, was managing the Arby's in Broken Bow during the incident, which reportedly took place in late March. The lawsuit indicates that Hendricks was in charge of preparing food orders that night. Church, who had a slight acquaintance with Hendricks from their small community, visited the drive-thru after a long work shift to order food for her family.

Allegations of Intentional Food Tampering

The civil lawsuit alleges that Hendricks deliberately spat on the meat or sandwich components while assembling Church’s order, fully aware that she had Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1), commonly referred to as oral herpes. The complaint further claims that she had visible herpes lesions at the time and understood that the virus could be spread through saliva.

After bringing the meal home, Church shared it with several family members, including her husband, children, father-in-law, and grandmother-in-law, who was in hospice care. Subsequently, Church developed mouth sores that she had never encountered before and tested positive for HSV-1.

The lawsuit states that Church linked her infection to Hendricks after discovering that the former manager had allegedly boasted about spitting in the food. Surveillance footage reportedly captured Hendricks preparing the food, spitting on sandwich ingredients, and serving the contaminated order.

Additionally, Church claims that the restaurant staff attempted to cover up the incident by offering her family complimentary sandwiches and a mere $5 in compensation. The family has expressed that they have endured emotional distress and significant anxiety as a result of this incident.

Alongside the civil lawsuit seeking damages for medical costs and emotional suffering, Hendricks has been charged with felony poisoning of food with intent to harm, as detailed in an affidavit referenced by local news sources.