Woman arraigned in Wendy’s finger case

A woman arrested after saying she found a finger in a bowl of Wendy’s chili was arraigned on Monday in a case that has cost the third largest U.S. hamburger chain millions in lost sales.

Anna Ayala, dressed in standard-issue prison garb, did not enter a plea in the unusual case before a Santa Clara county court. She mouthed “I love you” to family members and supporters in the back of the courtroom, two of whom wore T-shirts reading “Free Anna Ayala.”

Ayala, who is from Nevada, was charged with attempted grand theft because Wendy’s International Inc. lost revenue as a result of the publicity from the incident at one of their San Jose branches.

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Last month Wendy’s said its first-quarter profit dipped, partially because of the finger incident, which they estimate resulted in about $2.5 million in lost business.

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Police believe Ayala put the finger in her food, although they are still investigating the origin of the digit. Ayala has said she did not plant the finger.

The judge set a May 18 hearing in the case to review whether to lower Ayala’s $500,000 bail.