SMYRNA, Del.- The Delaware Division of Public Health says it ordered the closure of the Waffle House in Smyrna on Tuesday after an inspection revealed a rodent infestation and "gross unsanitary conditions."
According to DPH spokesperson Andrea Wojcik, the division's Office of Food Protection received two complaints from the same source on Tuesday about mice seen at the restaurant.
Wojcik said OFP inspectors went out the same day and found evidence of a rodent infestation. They immediately closed the restaurant due to what were described as "gross unsanitary conditions," she said. The DPH's full inspection report of the Smyrna Waffle House can be read here.
The restaurant may request re-inspection no earlier than Thursday, June 7, and must provide documentation that requested pest control services have been provided and that other violations have been corrected as well.
Early Tuesday morning, Facebook user John Stanley posted to his page the below video that shows a mouse scampering in what Stanley says is the Smyrna Waffle House.
WBOC reached out to a Waffle House corporate spokesman, who said in a statement: "We apologize to our customers for letting them down. Delivering a quality experience is a responsibility we take very seriously and we are working hard to ensure our customers get the experience they deserve. Our local management team has been on contact with our corporate food safety team to develop an action plan to correct all the issues. We have thoroughly cleaned the restaurant. Our pest control vendor did a complete inspection, did not find significant issues, and corrected all the minor issues found. We are confident that after the re-inspection tomorrow (Thursday) we will be back open and serving our customers."
Wojcik said instances such as this one and the one at the Burger King on Concord Pike in Wilmington are why DPH encourages the public to report concerns to its Office of Food Protection complaint line at 302-744-4736.
User: John To: link