Fast food stocks drop amid cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce concerns

Stocks of fast food chains like Sweetgreen, Chipotle, and Taco Bell fell due to investor worries over a cyclospora outbreak possibly linked to lettuce. Sweetgreen's shares dropped 5.6% on the day and have fallen over 24% in the last month, despite no confirmed cases tied to the chain. Taco Bell removed some menu items and stopped serving lettuce in Michigan, the state with the largest outbreak. Health officials have not yet identified the outbreak's source, but lettuce is a common suspect. The outbreak has caused thousands of cyclosporiasis cases, an intestinal illness causing diarrhea and fatigue, prompting ongoing investigations and cautious responses from affected companies.