The Bizarre Hardware Item One Man Found In His Taco Bell Order

We have all heard those disturbing urban legends about gross items ending up in fast food orders. Well, as it turns out, most of these stories are more rooted in fact than fiction. When you order from McDonald's or Burger King, for the most part, you know what you signed up for: A convenient, inexpensive, and arguably tasty meal. But sometimes, customers end up with unexpected surprises in their meals, too — and no, we're not talking about complimentary fries.

From finding a dead mouse in a Popeye's order to discovering a syringe in a Burger King breakfast sandwich, people around the world have found everything from human body parts to furry creatures lurking in their fast food (via Eat This, Not That!). And, while most of these experiences have been the result of unfortunate accidents, these faux pas have turned what should have been a harmless and pleasant dining experience into a horror story. The latest person to experience one of these nightmarish incidents was Michael Bingham from Fargo, North Dakota, according to Valley News Live. After ordering a meal from Taco Bell, Bingham discovered a hardware item in his taco that could have had disastrous consequences if he had accidentally consumed it.

From the Cheddar Chalupa to the Crunchwrap Supreme, Taco Bell has an extensive menu with a wealth of toppings to add to each dish. While most customers opt to add lettuce, tomato, or sour cream to their order, a piece of metal hardware has never been requested. Yet, on January 24, when Michael Bingham and his girlfriend ordered food from a Taco Bell in Fargo, North Dakota near South University, that's exactly what they got, as reported by Valley News Live. After innocently biting into his taco, Bingham instantly knew something wasn't right. "I tried to dig it out to see what it was, and it was this little screw or bolt," Bingham shared. "I thought I hurt myself. I was just kind of shock[ed]." 

To make the experience even worse, when Bingham called to report the incident, the general manager of the Taco Bell didn't believe his story. "She thought I was lying," Bingham shared with the paper. Once the account was corroborated, only then was Bingham offered a full refund and coupons for a future visit. Unsurprisingly, though, he has no plans to return any time soon — can we blame him?

At the end of the day, Bingham is thankful that he didn't get hurt and that it wasn't a child biting into that taco, which could have had serious consequences. However, he does advise caution to all future diners. "This could easily happen again if it happened to me," he warned.