******** Thursday, May 28, 2026 Update *********
At TKS, nothing matters more to us than the health, safety, and well-being of our customers and the communities we serve. We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the recent foodborne illness reports, and our hearts go out to every individual and family who has been impacted.
Food safety is the absolute foundation of our business. We take any threat to public health with the utmost seriousness, and we continue to work diligently alongside public health officials and food safety experts to ensure the integrity of our products.
While we are fully aware of the recently filed lawsuit, it is our company policy not to comment on the specifics of ongoing legal proceedings. Our immediate focus remains exactly where it should be: supporting our customers and ensuring this never happens again.
We can confirm that FSIS has reported that the ground beef (beef kofta) supplied to us by Olympia Foods was contaminated with E coli 0157:H7; this product was removed from all TKS locations on May 18, 2026, so state and local public health authorities have stated there is no ongoing risk to the public at any location since that date.
Customers can visit our Frequently Asked Questions on our website at www.thekebabshop/food-safety-faqs/ or contact our customer service number at 888-965-5821 from 9:00 am -5:00 pm PT Monday-Friday.
******** Sunday, May 24, 2026 Update *********
Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) issued a public health announcement due to concerns that the beef kofta (ground beef) supplied to us by Olympia Foods may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157:H7. This came after USDA obtained positive testing results for E. coli. of the raw ground beef kofta supplied by Olympia Foods to The Kebab Shop (“TKS”). Olympia Foods is no longer a supplier to TKS.
Both the California Department of Public Health and USDA confirmed that there are no reported cases of E. coli outside California possibly linked to this E. coli outbreak, and that there is no ongoing risk to consumers because this product was voluntarily removed by TKS nationwide on May 18, 2026.
We are deeply concerned that product from our supplier has been identified as the potential source of a foodborne illness outbreak. Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by this outbreak. The health and safety of our customers is our highest priority.
******** Friday, May 22, 2026 Update *********
Subject: A Message from Our CEO
Dear Valued TKS Guest,
At The Kebab Shop (TKS), the health and safety of our guests, our team members, and our communities are at the heart of everything we do. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has informed us that cases of E. coli O157:H7 have been linked to ground beef (beef kofta) sourced from a single supplier and previously used at our restaurants.
We ask anyone experiencing symptoms to seek proper medical attention and contact the California Department of Public Health.
We take seriously the responsibility to earn and maintain your trust. So, we want to share these details about our response:
- We immediately stopped all sales of ground beef (beef kofta) nationwide on May 18, 2026, after CDPH linked the product as a potential source of the outbreak.
- As a result, there is no ongoing risk associated with this issue.
- All other proteins sold at TKS come from different suppliers and are not associated with this issue.
- TKS restaurants inspected as part of the CDPH’s investigation confirmed their compliance with all health and safety regulations.
Finally, we are closely coordinating with public health authorities and have established a number for our guests to call: 888-965-5821 from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, and throughout the Memorial Day weekend, May 23–24, 2026, or e-mail FoodSafety@thekebabshop.com.
Please know that your confidence in us means a great deal, and we’re dedicated to serving you delicious, safe food every day.
With care and commitment,
Arian Baryalai
Chief Executive Officer