German tourist demands Rs 92 lakh for ‘distress’ caused by spicy salsa: Here’s what a US court said

According to federal court filings in the Southern District of New York, the symptoms began right away. Manz claimed the salsa caused his heart to race and produced an intense burning sensation on his tongue. He further alleged that he suffered from mouth sores, gastrointestinal issues, and emotional distress, and sought $100,000 (Rs 92,36,380) in damages, the report stated.

In his filing, he explained that as someone from Germany who does not typically consume spicy food, the experience was overwhelming. “For someone like me, living in Germany and eating nothing spicy, it was a very big shock physically and mentally.”

The case was dismissed, with Judge Dale E Ho noting that spice is generally expected in salsa last month. “When it comes to salsa, the spice is often the point.” The judge also pointed out that a simple online search or a review of customer reviews would have indicated the salsa’s heat level.

The restaurant’s legal team argued that the tourist bore responsibility for his own choice, and court documents indicated the salsa had been labelled as medium.

The tourist’s second complaint was filed against Walmart, where he claimed a store in Secaucus, New Jersey, denied him Wi-Fi access due to his German phone number.

His third lawsuit was against the NYPD. He alleged that officers refused to document or investigate his report of an attack on a homeless individual. He said the incident caused him post-traumatic stress, but this case was also dismissed.