The Sonic Drive-In, 12862 Hwy. 21, in De Soto has re-opened after the Jefferson County Health Department temporarily closed the restaurant on March 11 after reportedly finding evidence of roach infestation.
Brianne Zwiener, Health Department spokesperson, said this morning that the agency cleared the business to open on March 14.
“They are currently open without an ice cream machine,” she said. “Our inspector will go back out in two weeks to follow up.”
Zwiener said on March 11, a video showing roaches in an ice cream machine was sent to the agency through its social media and was posted on a public social media page. After staff watched the video, two food inspectors immediately went to the restaurant to conduct a “field visit.”
According to the field visit report, the inspectors found roaches in all life stages in a panel on the ice cream machine and in a panel on a prep table next to the ice cream machine. Evidence of roaches were found behind a wall sign in front of a soda machine. Roach bodies and evidence of nests were located in several side and back panels on other equipment. In addition, the inspectors witnessed roaches crawling on floors and walls.
Health Department administrators made the decision to close the restaurant, Zwiener said. To reopen, the restaurant had to meet a dozen conditions, and March 14 was the earliest they could reopen.
Conditions for reopening
The first condition to reopen required restaurant management to remove the ice cream machine and prep table from the facility.
“Due to the level of cleaning required and measure of infestation, these items of equipment must be replaced,” the report stated. “These items cannot be effectively cleaned and sanitized; nor properly treated for roach infestation.”
The restaurant management also had to contact Orkin for emergency treatment; clean and sanitize all equipment inside and out, including gaskets; clean and sanitize all walls and floors; remove all access panels from large equipment and clean/sanitize all compartments; clean all floor drains and provide drain covers; close gap at bottom of exterior door to prevent entry by insects and pests; clean all wire shelving with bleach water solution; and remove access panels from ice machine and clean inside.
The report further stated that all food not in airtight containers and all food in roll-top prep tables, as well as wall hangings and posters, had to be discarded. The soda machine had to be taken apart, cleaned and sanitized, according to condition.
The report recommended but did not require a third-party professional kitchen-cleaning company.
The restaurant manager would not comment about the closure, and the Leader attempted to contact the area supervisor with 24 Franchise Group, which owns the Sonic store, but the supervisor didn’t respond.
Prior health inspections
On Jan. 15, the Health Department completed a routine inspection of Sonic, and the restaurant scored 44 out of 100, according to the agency’s inspection reports.
Zwiener said the restaurant was given several conditions it had to complete within a certain amount of time. Upon reinspection on Feb. 11, the inspector found that all the conditions had been satisfied, with the exception of a gap under a door that needed fixed.
She said roach infestations are uncommon in Jefferson County restaurants, adding that the department has food codes, guidelines and requirements to prevent and protect against that problem. She said the safety of customers and staff members is important to the Health Department.
While food inspectors have a thorough list of items to check during a routine inspection, Zwiener said they do not tear apart kitchens or take machines apart. She indicated that excrement, live roaches and evidence of a nest give inspectors hints of a problem, and then reinspections are scheduled to make sure any problem is taken care of.
Closing a food establishment is rare for the agency, Zwiener said.
“We do what we can to not get to this point,” she said. “This is usually a very rare circumstance. I can’t remember the last time we had to close a place.”
Dan Kane, environmental supervisor for the Health Department, also has said the department rarely closes a food establishment, and most temporary closures involve a power outage, fire or sewage backup.
