A New Jersey restaurant, Blu on the Hudson, has apologized after writing "Happy Birthday Wheelchair" on a woman's dessert. Antonia Sinibaldi, a 29-year-old singer-songwriter who uses a wheelchair and ventilator, received the dessert on June 20 and reportedly had a physical reaction to seeing the words. The restaurant claims the word "wheelchair" was meant as a reference to where the dessert should be delivered, but was written on the plate itself due to a misunderstanding. Sinibaldi has stated that her chair is not her identity and has no plans to return to the restaurant.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-26,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Antonia Sinibaldi, a 29-year-old singer-songwriter who uses a wheelchair and ventilator, was celebrating her 29th birthday at Blu on the Hudson in New Jersey with her loved ones. When she received an apple cinnamon dessert with the words "Happy Birthday Wheelchair" drizzled over it, she began to spasm uncontrollably, unable to process what had happened quickly enough. The incident occurred on June 20, and Sinibaldi's friends and family were reportedly "angrier" than her about the restaurant's mistake. The restaurant apologized for the offense, stating that they had used "wheelchair" as a reference to identify where to deliver the dessert, but it was written on the plate in error.
Written for “Restaurant Apologizes for Insensitivity” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.35 for article 2416 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-27
A New Jersey restaurant has been forced to apologize after writing “Happy Birthday Wheelchair” on a woman’s dessert.
asserted
restaurant → force → dessert
Antonia Sinibaldi, a singer-songwriter who relies on a wheelchair and ventilator, says that she received the apple cinnamon dessert while celebrating her 29th birthday at Blu on the Hudson with her loved ones.
asserted
she → rely → ones
However, upon reading the words drizzled over the sweet treat, Sinibaldi told NBC New York that she started to spasm.
asserted
she → read → NBC
Sinibaldi said: “The body started shaking, the body started spasming.
asserted
body → say → ?
My body reacted faster than my mouth or my mind.”
asserted
body → react → mouth
Speaking to WCBS, Sinibaldi said that the incident on June 20 left both her friends and family feeling angry.
asserted
incident → speak → friends
“My family's angry, my friends are angrier, but me, I'm just baffled by it,” she told the outlet.
asserted
she → baffle → outlet
A spokesperson for the restaurant told the outlet that the word “wheelchair” had been used to identify where Sinibaldi was sitting.
asserted
Sinibaldi → tell → outlet
“The word ‘wheelchair’ was used as a reference to identify where a birthday dessert with a candle should be delivered," the spokesperson said.
asserted
spokesperson → use → candle
"Unfortunately, that notation was misunderstood and was written on the plate itself."
asserted
notation → misunderstand → plate
“There was absolutely no malicious or disrespectful intent behind the notation,” the spokesperson continued.
asserted
spokesperson → be → notation
“However, we fully understand how seeing that word written on a plate could be deeply hurtful and upsetting.”
uncertain
word → understand → plate
In a statement given to People, the restaurant added: “We sincerely apologize to the guest and to everyone who was hurt or offended by this incident which took place on June 20, 2026.”
asserted
which → give → June
Sinibaldi later responded to the restaurant’s statement on Instagram.
asserted
Sinibaldi → respond → Instagram
“First thing first (sic) the first picture is a bs (sic) response,” she captioned a picture of the statement.
asserted
she → caption → statement
Sinibaldi shared with Ability Speaks Magazine that she suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury in 1999 after a drunk driver hit a vehicle carrying both her and her parents.
asserted
driver → share → her
However, after watching The Sound of Music at the age of 5, Sinibaldi decided that she wanted to become a singer.
asserted
she → watch → 5
The now-29-year-old told the publication that she had to relearn speech and communication skills after suffering a lack of oxygen-related brain injury in 2024.
asserted
she → tell → 2024
Speaking to WCBS, she asked listeners: “Don’t bring up my disability in every sentence is what people should know.
asserted
people → speak → what
Sinibaldi also confirmed to the outlet that she has no plans to return to Blu on the Hudson.
asserted
she → confirm → Hudson
The Independent has contacted Blu on the Hudson for comment.
asserted
Independent → contact → comment
