A routine health inspection at KFC in Chicago, Illinois uncovered dozens of rats roaming freely through the kitchen and dining room, resulting in ordered to close immediately.
A local television news crew captured dramatic footage of dozens of rats swarming a KFC/Taco Bell location in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago. The video, filmed after closing time, showed rodents running across countertops, climbing shelves, and darting under food preparation surfaces. The footage became one of the most widely viewed restaurant health violation videos in American history.
According to the inspection report, rodent gnaw marks were found on food packaging throughout the storage area. Inspectors also noted that the facility had received previous rodent-related citations that had not been resolved. The Chicago Tribune reported that Chicago health officials confirmed the rodent infestation was one of the most severe they had encountered.
Health inspectors follow a standardized checklist covering more than 50 individual food safety criteria. During this visit, the team flagged violations across multiple categories, indicating systemic rather than isolated failures.
Health officials remind consumers that a clean dining room does not guarantee a clean kitchen. The only reliable way to assess a restaurant's food safety practices is to review its most recent health inspection report, which is a public document in every U.S. state.
Before your next dinner out, check the health inspection score at InspectorEats.com. Knowledge is your best defense against foodborne illness.
This incident serves as a reminder that even well-known restaurants can fall short of health standards. KFC permanently closed the location and launched a nationwide review of pest control protocols.