Panera Charged Lemonade Lawsuit: The Caffeine Cases That Ended the Drink

What the Cases Alleged

Panera faced four lawsuits over its Charged Lemonade, a self-serve drink that could carry roughly 390 milligrams of caffeine in a 30-ounce cup — comparable to several cans of a typical energy drink. The first, brought by the family of Sarah Katz, a University of Pennsylvania student with a heart condition who died in 2022, alleged the drink was not adequately labeled for its caffeine. A second death suit followed over a Florida man, and two more alleged serious cardiac injuries in previously healthy people.

The common thread was disclosure: that a caffeine load this high, offered alongside ordinary lemonade at a self-serve station, was not clearly presented to customers.

Discontinuation and Settlements

Panera discontinued the Charged Lemonade line nationwide in 2024. In 2025 its attorneys confirmed the matters had all been resolved; the settlements were confidential, with no admission of liability and no public accounting of what was paid to the families.

Confidential settlements are common in wrongful-death product cases, but they mean the public record ends without a court ruling on whether the drink caused the deaths.

What It Changed

The episode pushed caffeine disclosure on self-serve and ready-to-drink products into the spotlight, and it is frequently cited alongside other high-caffeine drink cases. For consumers, the practical point is that caffeine content on large or self-serve beverages is not always obvious, and it can matter for people with heart conditions.