Introduction
If you’re a fan of fast food in New York City, you may want to take a closer look at the restaurants you frequent. Recently, several fast-food locations in NYC were shut down due to health and safety violations. In this article, we’ll take a look at the violations that led to the closures and provide some tips on how to make sure you’re eating safe and healthy food. We’ll also provide some alternative options for fast food in NYC that are still open and in compliance with health and safety regulations.
These NYC Fast-Food Locations Were Shut Down Over Health and Safety Violations
New York City is known for its bustling streets and delicious food, but not all of its fast-food locations are up to par. Recently, several fast-food locations in the city have been shut down due to health and safety violations.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has been cracking down on restaurants that fail to meet health and safety standards. In the past few months, several fast-food locations have been shut down due to violations such as rodent infestations, improper food storage, and unsanitary conditions.
Here are some of the fast-food locations that have been shut down in NYC due to health and safety violations:
- McDonald’s on East 14th Street
- Burger King on Broadway
- Taco Bell on West 34th Street
- KFC on East Houston Street
- Subway on West 23rd Street
The DOHMH has been working hard to ensure that all restaurants in NYC are up to health and safety standards. If you’re looking for a fast-food meal in the city, it’s best to stick to locations that have been inspected and approved by the DOHMH.
For more information on health and safety violations in NYC, visit the DOHMH website.
Major ghost kitchen operator Reef Technology has allegedly had all of its New York City locations shut down after health officials found the company was operating without necessary permits and foregoing several health and safety requirements.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene told Restaurant Business the kitchen operator was breaking “numerous” requirements at “multiple” locations. Reef operates pod-like units situated in parking lots where it churns out delivery and takeout orders placed digitally. It offers items from dozens of fast-food brands, including Wendy’s, Nathan’s Famous, and 800 Degrees Pizza.
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However, the company denies shutting down its kitchen pods due to violations. In a statement to Restaurant Business, Reef denied violating any rules and said the permits for its pods were temporary and that those locations were shut down voluntarily when the permits expired. According to the publication, the ghost kitchens are now operating from brick-and-mortar locations in New York City.
A spokesperson for the health department told Business Insider the company has “agreed to cease operations for the time being” while it seeks compliance.
The company seems to be facing issues over long-term regulation of its unique business model, which doesn’t fall in the category of brick-and-mortar restaurants nor food trucks. Miami, for example, amended the city code this spring to allow for Reef’s operation, while a former employee of the company told Business Insider that bigger cities were slower to approve permits. According to the publication, Reef frequently operates on the basis of temporary permits which are easier to secure and come with fewer restrictions.
“There’s no long-term permitting strategy,” a former operations manager told Insider. “They’re essentially hiding.”
When reached for comment, Reef confirmed to Eat This, Not That! it was currently operating from fully-permitted brick-and-mortar locations. “We continue to work collaboratively with regulators on ways to permit our innovative model which seeks to reinvent urban spaces in a way that improves cities and neighborhoods with mobile structures,” a spokesperson for the company said.
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