TAMPA, Florida — Big problems for the king of burgers. State health inspectors ordered an emergency closure of the Burger King location on Adamo Drive in Tampa on March 8.
“I just like the burgers,” said customer Boteem Williams who was eating with his little brother and grandmother. “I’m just a burger type of person.”
And while customers may love the food, most were uneasy to hear about the Burger King location’s emergency closure this month with 15 violations including 40 live roaches crawling across the reach in cooler in the drive-thru area, with more on the ice cream machine and behind the front counter.
10Investigates stopped in hoping to get information on what was done to get the insect issue cleaned up.
“Nobody wants to be spoken to,” said an employee who claimed to be one of the managers. “There’s nothing for us to say.”
When asked about the violations the employee responded, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The inspector also wrote up the restaurant after witnessing an employee not properly washing their hands.
“You need to skedaddle on this way,” said another employee pointing toward the door after trying to grab our camera.
When we asked for a copy of the latest inspection report for that Burger King, something they’re required by Florida law to show anyone who asks, another employee handed us the phone and we were asked to leave.
Once we took our camera outside management eventually brought out a copy of their latest report in compliance with state law showing they were cleared to reopen the very next day.
Even so, for customer who knew nothing about the emergency closure just a week earlier, all the violations were a big surprise.
“I think I’m coming to a clean place and I might not be,” said Williams.
In fact his customer’s younger brother ordered a milk shake likely from the same machine where inspectors found live roaches and excrement just days before.
“I think that’s kinda gross because I don’t like feces on my milkshake,” said Boteem’s younger brother Brindon Williams. “You don’t really know about what’s around your food.”
