Panera's 'Killer Lemonade' Has The Internet Buzzing

If there's no such thing as bad publicity, then Panera's 'Killer Lemonade' is turning into the marketing story of the year in the fast-casual restaurant business.

The former bread and wholesome soup company has the Internet buzzing lately after two wrongful death lawsuits were brought against Panera after customers allegedly died from consuming Charged Lemonades, which have 390 milligrams of caffeine in a large, 30-ounce cup. In the latest case, 46-year-old Dennis Brown went into cardiac arrest while walking home after consuming a charged lemonade with his dinner, according to a lawsuit, which also notes the man had been drinking charged lemonades for six days before his death.

The FDA recommends a maximum of 400 milligrams of caffeine per day. A 12-fluid-ounce Red Bull has 111 milligrams of caffeine.

In October, a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student who suffered from a heart condition and told to avoid caffeine, died after drinking charged lemonades, according to the first lawsuit filed against Panera.

The restaurant has said the lawsuits are "without merit" and the drinks are staying.

OutKick's Hayley Caronia, who might've had a couple of Four Lokos during her day, says she's hopping on the 'Free Panera' bandwagon. "I'm no lawyer, but if Panera is serving people less caffeine than the recommended daily dose, then we have a personal responsibility problem, not a Panera problem," Caronia argues.

The critics would argue in the case of Brown, he had a "developmental delay" and a "chromosomal disorder that caused a mild intellectual disability" and there's a hint of he might not've known better in how the media has played his death.

It was unlimited refills, the critics shout.

Yeah, and Brown could go into a convenience store multiple times each day and buy Red Bulls.

While deep down it's insensitive to joke about people possibly dying from drinking charged lemonades, such jokes are the way the Internet copes with such news. Is death tragic? Of course.

But, this is how the Internet copes. The jokesters come up with memes, yes, they're insensitive, that Panera is now peddling "Killer Lemonade" or "Death Lemonade." TikTok is filled with women doing deep-dives into the Charged Lemonades.

And then there is Twitter where it's absolute chaos. P.T. Barnum would be so happy with what is going on. People are even doing death lemonade taste-tests to see just what the buzz is about these drinks.

Will Panera eventually be forced to pull its Death/Killer Lemonade?

Based on what happened to Four Loko, which removed caffeine from its products due to pressure from the FDA, one would assume if you're going to throw a Panera Death Lemonade taste-testing, you better get moving.