Customers of McDonald's in New York City, New York were left concerned after reports emerged that an infestation of live rodents on the premises.
A customer captured video on their smartphone of multiple rats scurrying across the dining room floor of a 24-hour McDonald's location on West 35th Street in Manhattan. The footage quickly went viral, racking up millions of views and forcing the New York City Department of Health to conduct an emergency inspection.
The official inspection records state that rodent droppings were found near the food preparation surfaces. New York Post coverage confirmed that inspectors found evidence of rodent activity throughout the kitchen and storage areas, while inspectors separately flagged that multiple entry points for pests had been left unaddressed for months.
The inspection was triggered by a combination of routine scheduling and community complaints. Inspectors arrived unannounced and spent several hours systematically walking through every area of the kitchen and food storage zones.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 48 million Americans are sickened by foodborne illness each year, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Routine health inspections are among the most effective tools for preventing outbreaks.
Concerned about the restaurants you frequent? You can look up health inspection scores for any restaurant in the United States at InspectorEats.com. Stay informed and dine with confidence.
While The location was closed for deep cleaning and pest extermination before reopening under a corrective action plan, health experts emphasize that consumers should stay vigilant about where they eat.