Rodent Infested Popeyes Outlet Closes After Viral Video Shows Rats Running Around Kitchen [Video]

A Tiktoker has shared a shocking video of a rodent-infested Popeyes restaurant in Washington. D.C. After the viral video exposed visuals of rats running around in the popular fast-food chain's kitchen, the Health’s Division of Food has announced the closure of the outlet.

The TikTok user who is also a delivery man for Popeyes posted a disturbing video two weeks back showing the alarming condition of a restaurant's outlet in Capitol Hill. The video has fetched more than 561,000 views on Tiktok and 642,000 on Twitter. The shocking video has since then opened up heated online discussions about food safety in popular fast-food chains across the country.

When the video begins, the man introduces himself as a person who delivers raw chicken to Popeyes restaurants in the D.C. area. He then shows the restaurant's board while standing outside the outlet at night. The man then takes out a set of keys and opens the locked front door of the outlet and walks in. "This is Popeyes," the man says as he turns on the light in the kitchen and shows two rats scurrying across the kitchen floor.

It is just the beginning; the video then shows a kitchen swamped by rodents, some climbing on the ceiling while others running across the kitchen floor. “You still love that chicken from Popeyes?” the man asks while admitting that he has spotted around 15 rats in his inspection.

After the video went viral, it drew the attention of the food safety officials who inspected the site. Following the inspection, DC Health’s Division of Food posted a “food establishment closure notice” on the front door of the outlet.

“This establishment is ordered closed until further notice for a violation(s) of the District of Columbia food code regulations … which presents an imminent health hazard(s) to the public,” the food establishment closure announcement posted on the restaurant's front door read, as reported by NY Daily News.

DC Councilmember Charles Allen confirmed on Twitter that the outlet has been shuttered while he responded to a concerned resident: " "[The DC Department of Health] inspected and closed this site on Thursday," Allen said.