Viral TikTok video of Popeyes' kitchen rats infestation leads to the shut down of the fast-food by the District of Columbia Health Department after its inspection found numerous violations.
A Popeyes fast food chain restaurant is seen on August 30, 2019 on a street of Washington D.C. - Chick it out! US restaurant chain Popeyes launched a fried chicken sandwich which became such a social media sensation, the company has run out of stock nationwide, leaving would-be consumers crying fowl. On August 12, Popeyes unveiled its latest offering: a deep fried chicken breast on a brioche roll, with spicy mayonnaise and pickle slices. The fried chicken chain said they would let customers know when sandwiches are back.
As per the report by Washingtonian, the local Health Department shuttered the Popeyes branch near the Eastern Market after a viral video tipped about rats running around the kitchen of the popular fast-food chain.
So, it turns out that the latest saga of TikTok viral videos was able to stop the operations of the giant fast-food franchise.
Viral TikTok Video of Popeyes' Kitchen Rats
A user claiming to be a delivery guy of raw chicken for the fast-food giant posted the TikTok video featuring the kitchen of Popeyes in Capitol Hills.
The viral video, which now has more than 30,000 likes on TikTok, followed the journey of a man entering the storefront of Popeyes.
The man on the TikTok content further pans the camera to the dimly lit kitchen of the fast-food joint.
When he turned on the bright lights of the restaurant, rodents started to run to the ceiling of the kitchen.
That said, the TikTok user went on to use the hashtags #mickeymouse, #ratsfarm, and #runandhide for his video posted last Oct. 11.
The man in the video further claimed that he saw a total of 15 rats during the time that he was filming the kitchen of the fast-food joint.
@blaqazzrick01 #popeyeschicken #mickeymouse #ratsfarm #runandhide ♬ original sound - blaqazzrick01
Popeyes' Kitchen Rats and Shut Down
Now, according to the report by New York Post, the storefront of the Capitol Hills Popeyes currently carries an advisory, saying that "this establishment is ordered closed until further notice for violation(s) of the District of Columbia Food Code Regulations."
The notice went on to note that the violations of the fast-food giant "presents an imminent health hazard(s) to the public."
To be precise, the health inspection report, seen by Washingtonian, states that the Health Dept. discovered 17 violations, which includes evidence that there are rats inside the fast-food chain.
In fact, the inspection found multiple rat droppings from numerous areas in the kitchen, such as the kitchen ceiling, dishwashing area, walk-in fridge, grease bin, and the office of the manager.
What's more, the inspectors also saw another violation aside from the rat infestation. And this is the main reason behind the shut down of the restaurant.
The thermometer of the walk-in fridge and freezer are both faulty. Thus, ruining the temperature wherein its raw chicken and other ingredients are stored.
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Popeyes: Safety, Cleanliness Priority
Popeyes said in a statement that "food safety and cleanliness is a top priority" in the fast-food giant.
As such, the "franchisee who owns and operates this location is taking the appropriate steps to address the issue," says the fast-food chain in a statement.
Related Article: Texas Woman Sues Popeyes: Customer Claims Flesh-Eating Screwworms In Rice And Beans
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Written by Teejay Boris
