City Not Lovin' Pest Problem At McDonald's Location
CHICAGO (STMW) -- Flying insects in the dining room and drive-up window area led to the closure of a Far South Side McDonald's restaurant on Thursday.
The Department of Streets & Sanitation's Dumpster Task Force closed the McDonalds at 36 W. 95th St. for failing to correct a problem with flying insects which the management had been cited for a week earlier, according to a news release from the city agency.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Nancy Harty Reports
Podcast
On Aug. 4, Task Force inspectors issued three serious violations to the McDonalds for inadequate pest control, overflowing trash containers and trash containers that were leaking liquid garbage, the release said. On-site management was notified that if problems weren't corrected, they could face closure.
When inspectors returned Thursday, they found that while the garbage issues had been corrected, the problem with flying insects had gotten worse.
During the first inspection, flying insects were found in a rear storage area near boxes of soft drink syrup with attached hose lines. On Thursday, the insects were still in that area and were also found flying in the dining room near an unused soda pop dispenser area, around the inside portion of the drive-up window, and on food boxes, shelving and walls, the release said.
The McDonalds was closed because the previous serious violation of inadequate pest control was not corrected, elevating the violation to critical, the release said.
"The management at 95th and the Dan Ryan could have avoided closure by aggressively addressing their flying insect problem, but they failed to do so and made this closure necessary," Josie Cruz, deputy commissioner of Streets & Sanitation, said in the release,
In order to reopen, McDonald's must eliminate its flying insect issues, revamp housekeeping protocols and pass a re-inspection.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
