Nineteen-year-old Texan Genesis Monita was hungry, so she pulled up to her favorite quick barbecue spot, Bill Miller Bar-B-Q, for some food.
Fox Business reports that when Monita began to eat her meal, she cracked open her BBQ sauce, which then spilled. She suffered second-degree burns as a result.
Here is where it gets crazy: At Bill Miller BBQ joints, they make it a point to serve their sauce hot —165 degrees to be exact. According to Monita’s lawsuit, the sauce was 189 degrees on the day that she was burned.
Now, you might be sitting here thinking that this is a silly lawsuit, or that something like this has happened to you in the past and you never sued anyone. But Monita had a case — after a year-and-a-half-long process, she was just awarded $2.8 million by a jury.
It breaks down to $1.9 million for punitive damages, and the rest goes to covering all of the medical bills that she incurred.
Remember the McDonald’s coffee incident in the ’90s? That woman was burned, too, and she was awarded $2.7 million. Now, McDonald’s has warning labels on all of their hot beverages. It was a controversial issue at the time, with people arguing over who is really at fault when someone burns themselves on something known to be hot.
Bill Miller Bar-B-Q will likely be doing the same thing at their more than 70 locations.
Of all of the side hustles country artists could partake in, opening a bar or restaurant is the most fitting — and very common. After all, many of these stars got their start on a barstool, tip jar nearby, playing their music for anyone who would listen.
These places feel like home for many of these singers. Over the years, several artists have gotten into the bar or restaurant game, and for a select few, brands have turned into franchises with several locations and/or concepts — we’re looking at you, Jimmy Buffett!
Let’s take a look at the country star food and entertainment venues that have opened over the years.
Gallery Credit: Jess
Luke Combs is ready to join the ranks of country artists who have opened their own bars in Nashville’s Broadway district. The honky-tonk will be called Category 10, playing off of his debut single “Hurricane.” Although true hurricanes are categorized no higher than a Category 5, Combs opted to double the intensity with a 10 ranking. It’s a nod to his career, really.
Category 10 will be anything but small: The bar will be the largest entertainment venue on the strip, featuring the area’s biggest dance floor and rooftop. Combs is also including more intimate spaces to accommodate young talented singers and songwriters.
Carrie Underwood has been, well, busy since winning Season 4 of American Idol in 2005. Since the confetti fell, the country singer has released nine albums and embarked on seven tours. She’s also tried her hand at acting and launched a handful of businesses.
Over the years she’s become one of the biggest success stories to come out of the show, winning countless awards and amassing a staggering net worth of over $100 million.
Keep scrolling to see 20 things Underwood has done since her time on the reality singing competition.