Roaches in Restaurant...What would you do?

[cerralee]

We just got back from a trip to the Orlando area and went out to have a nice dinner at an upscale Italian
Restaurant. The place was crowded and after waiting for five or ten minutes were escorted to our table and seated. The hostess gave us our menus and we ordered water with lemons to drink. As we were looking over our menus, a roach scurried across the table, over the edge and across my lap. I let out a small screech, my husband looked up just in time to see it and his fellow roach friend come across the table from the other side. A quick push back from the chair, another screech, I grabbed my purse and we bolted to the front door in shock. There was one more that came out when we bumped the table in our haste to avoid the critters. The diners around us did not blink an eye. We just wanted the heck out of there, didn't stop to think about what we should have done. No staff or management came out to check what the ruckus was. Since we had not ordered or consumed food we felt no obligation to stay.

After we were out in the parking lot, I wondered if we should have insisted on speaking to management or alerted the other diners. I would have wanted to know if I had consumed food from a roach infested restaurant. If we had eaten any food I know we would have had something to say, but as it happened so fast we were in a small state of shock and just felt the need to leave. What would you have done?

 

[Karen G]

What would you have done?

I think I'd have at least told the manager or any other available employee.

 

[Talent312]

For all the employees knew, you were screeching at having lost your phone.
I might have asked to see the manager, but for sure, called the county health department.

A few years ago, I was dining at a local seafood place when the health inspector taped a big red notice on the door that said "closed until further notice." The issue was "vermin droppings." We were told we could complete our meals, but it was quite unsettling.
.

 

[geekette]

I would have simply left. If there are 2 roaches, there are many more, mgmt already knows about it.

Go, don't return.

While on conference a couple years ago, we went to a nice restaurant and were seated, had our drinks, and appetizers. Something fell into my water.

We told mgmt but no one cared. I would describe it as looking like a very small grub, a little albino worm yuck.

bye bye to that place for good. mgmt's response was unacceptable.

 

[pedro47]

I would have asked for the manager on duty and explained what happen. Then I would have left that eating place.

 

[dioxide45]

Sounds like they need Robert Irvine to come in. Though it sounds like a popular place and is doing pretty good business. Not sure what telling the manager would do. It would have perhaps explained your situation, but they probably already know about the problem. Of course, you could have been doing them a favor by telling them about it in the event they are unaware.

 

[vacationhopeful]

I would have SMACK the first bug, taken a picture of ROACH #2 when I saw that one and screamed MANAGER when I saw the 3rd roach as I stood up and collected my personal items.

While I walked out, I would STATED loudly to my dining partner "HOW DARE YOU BRING ME TO THIS ROACH INFESTED PLACE!"

Niceness would have been to see NO ROACHES.

Rude is what the management and staff deserves if 3 roaches were around my table and on me.

 

[Finntastic]

My husband and I were eating in a very busy restaurant once, we had a fried rice dish. When we were almost finished, a bug of some sort crawled out from the rice! I was about 9 months pregnant! I didn't quite make it to the bathroom before puking! We got our meals for free. Yuck.

 

[Luanne]

I would have asked for the manager on duty and explained what happen. Then I would have left that eating place.

This is what I would have done as well.

 

[classiclincoln]

Gonna be in Orlando next month; name please....

 

[Sea Six]

Sorry , but those critters are all over the place. If there was a place without them, it would be so infested with insecticide you would be in even worse shape. Don't like bugs? Don't come south. Would you rather be entertained by a hungry bug, or infectected with an insecticide?

 

[Pompey Family]

Sorry , but those critters are all over the place. If there was a place without them, it would be so infested with insecticide you would be in even worse shape. Don't like bugs? Don't come south. Would you rather be entertained by a hungry bug, or infected with an insecticide?

There's no reason for bugs to be in any well maintained kitchen irrespective of where in the country it is located.

Securing all potential routes into the kitchen by use of insect screens, proper storage of food sources and regular cleaning will prevent any infestations. Sure, you might have the odd bug or two but if your environment is too hostile for them to easily find food, shelter and breeding opportunities then there won't be a problem. To find three cockroaches around one table indicates a serious infestation.

The only requirement for insecticide is when dealing with an outbreak. Routine cleaning with normal household products is adequate enough. I have no problem eating food that has been prepared on properly sanitised surfaces, I do have a problem with food that has been prepared on surfaces potentially contaminated with e-coli, salmonella, campylobactor or any of the other nasty bacteria and pathogens cockroaches carry.

 

[pedro47]

Theses roaches were found in the dinning room area and that is a health code inspection violation. Also, most states should have a health department that check restaurants, food processing establishment and meat processind companies for health codes violations. In the Commonweath of Virginia restaurants received a passing or a failing score from the health department. Inspections are annually or semi annually. Also, in Virginia restaurants most post and display their health scores for the general public to see in their establishment in Virginia.

 

[cerralee]

I would have SMACK the first bug, taken a picture of ROACH #2 when I saw that one and screamed MANAGER when I saw the 3rd roach as I stood up and collected my personal items.

While I walked out, I would STATED loudly to my dining partner "HOW DARE YOU BRING ME TO THIS ROACH INFESTED PLACE!"

Niceness would have been to see NO ROACHES.

Rude is what the management and staff deserves if 3 roaches were around my table and on me.

I wish I could have reacted this fast, I did say ROACHES during a screech but did not have the cool, calm reaction that I should have had. My first instinct was just to get the heck out of there. I did stop and stare at the table that was next to me who just kept counting their money to pay their bill. They had to have known what was going on, I was just too loud not to have been overheard, but they were oblivious. Looking back that's what I WISH I had done.

 

[cerralee]

Gonna be in Orlando next month; name please....

Little Italy

2901 Parkway Blvd near Vacation Village Parkway

 

[itchyfeet]

It is not too late to call the manager or owner. I would certainly let him/her know of the problem as soon as possible.

 

[Pompey Family]

It is not too late to call the manager or owner. I would certainly let him/her know of the problem as soon as possible.

I suspect they know full well what the problem is.

 

[Kozman]

We once had bugs in our food at a Waffle House in TN. When I showed the ham and cheese omelet to the waitress she was appalled. I asked for a reorder and told them to hold the bugs! When the omelet came back I asked the waitress to hold up while I opened up the omelet. To my horror there were live bugs crawling around inside. This could not have been a mistake. We immediately left without paying for anything and have never darkened their doors again.

 

[billymach4]

Contact Health Dept, and post Review on Yelp, and TA

Please contact the local health dept. Please post the same review on Yelp,

and TA.

This experience is totally unacceptable. Some may say all food establishments have this problem from time to time. I disagree because it shows that there is a large sanitary problem at the establishment.


http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-italy-italian-restaurant-and-pizzeria-kissimmee

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaur...7-Reviews-Little_Italy-Kissimmee_Florida.html

 

[Beaglemom3]

Please contact the local health dept. Please post the same review on Yelp,

and TA.

This experience is totally unacceptable. Some may say all food establishments have this problem from time to time. I disagree because it shows that there is a large sanitary problem at the establishment.


http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-italy-italian-restaurant-and-pizzeria-kissimmee

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaur...7-Reviews-Little_Italy-Kissimmee_Florida.html

Agree.
Needs to be reported asap and then the DPH can do their investigation and make their report, good or bad.

-

 

[Sea Six]

There's no reason for bugs to be in any well maintained kitchen irrespective of where in the country it is located.

Securing all potential routes into the kitchen by use of insect screens, proper storage of food sources and regular cleaning will prevent any infestations. Sure, you might have the odd bug or two but if your environment is too hostile for them to easily find food, shelter and breeding opportunities then there won't be a problem. To find three cockroaches around one table indicates a serious infestation.

The only requirement for insecticide is when dealing with an outbreak. Routine cleaning with normal household products is adequate enough. I have no problem eating food that has been prepared on properly sanitised surfaces, I do have a problem with food that has been prepared on surfaces potentially contaminated with e-coli, salmonella, campylobactor or any of the other nasty bacteria and pathogens cockroaches carry.

You obviously don't know anything about living in Florida. Seeing a roach or 3 has NOTHING to do with cleanliness. When we have times of drought, the bugs come in just looking for water, because they know there is water in buildings. During the rainy season, the bugs come in to escape the water because their world is underwater. I would not doubt the kitchen is clean, but there are other reasons that critters seek shelter.

 

[dioxide45]

Please contact the local health dept. Please post the same review on Yelp,

and TA.

This experience is totally unacceptable. Some may say all food establishments have this problem from time to time. I disagree because it shows that there is a large sanitary problem at the establishment.


http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-italy-italian-restaurant-and-pizzeria-kissimmee

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaur...7-Reviews-Little_Italy-Kissimmee_Florida.html

Agree.
Needs to be reported asap.

I would agree, but I think the OP owes to the the restaurant to call them and speak with a manager about their experience. Nothing more frustrating for a business owner to get a bad review with absolutely no direct feedback from the customer.

 

[Beaglemom3]

I would agree, but I think the OP owes to the the restaurant to call them and speak with a manager about their experience. Nothing more frustrating for a business owner to get a bad review with absolutely no direct feedback from the customer.

Agree. That, too, but I would also notify the DPH (I amended my note while you were posting this). I would not notify Yelp or TA at this point. Let the evaluation be made first, but I agree with talking to the manager and owner first.


=

 

[Pompey Family]

You obviously don't know anything about living in Florida. Seeing a roach or 3 has NOTHING to do with cleanliness. When we have times of drought, the bugs come in just looking for water, because they know there is water in buildings. During the rainy season, the bugs come in to escape the water because their world is underwater. I would not doubt the kitchen is clean, but there are other reasons that critters seek shelter.

What has knowledge of living in Florida got to do with anything? Do you not think that we have bugs here in Southern England or are the bugs in Florida a special kind that manage to circumvent insect screens or are able to resist routine cleaning?

There is a clear difference between the odd cockroach and an infestation. I'm talking abut an infestation in a restaurant not the odd bug in a domestic kitchen. Infestations are completely avoidable by ensuring that the kitchen is as pest proof as it can be. If there are signs of cockroaches then traps can be laid before the problem escalates. If there are three cockroaches appearing at one table in a restaurant it is clear that there are many more and it is a sure sign of an infestation.

As a restaurateur you have a duty to protect your customers health. Allowing a pest infestation to occur on your premises indicates a lack of will and knowledge to deal with the problem (usually financially motivated).

 

[normab]

Having moved to Florida last year I want to weigh in. I really don't like those large bugs. Yuck.

We have inside and outside spraying done every 4-6 months. I also removed all the light switches and poured boric acid powder in the walls. I put boric acid along the lip of the garage floor by the door and do this as needed as it washes away when we have heavy rains. Boric acid is safe for most pets and humans, but kills roaches. And they take it back to the nest to kill their buddies.

We found lots of dead bugs the first few months but now we rarely see any inside. It took a while but clearly the treatments work. (Now if we could only get rid of the flying insects on the screens...)

Restaurants need to work harder at the bug treatments but they can control the bugs if they work at it. Even in Florida. No one should be seeing roaches running around or in their food. Just my opinion.