- Workers at an NYC
Chipotle told the New York Post that the location has a huge rat problem. - The location is closed indefinitely after four workers say they were bitten.
- In a statement to Business Insider, Chipotle acknowledged the problem and said it stems from neighboring restaurants that closed.
A New York City Chipotle location is closed because of a major rat problem, The New York Post first reported.
The West 169th Street location closed in late November after rats chewed through wires for the computer system, employees told The Post. Before that, workers were forced to kill dozens of rats and four employees have been bitten, the publication reported.
In a statement, Chipotle Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and head of food safety Laurie Schalow acknowledged the pest problem, blamed neighboring closed restaurants, and said the location is closed indefinitely.
"The health and safety of our employees and guests is our top priority," she said in an email to Business Insider. "We have arranged emergency pest service, deep cleaning of the restaurant and are working with the landlord to ensure improvements are made before reopening."
The pest problems reportedly began this summer, when employees began finding avocados and bags of rice that had been chewed through, they told The Post, and some employees say that they would not enter the basement at all for fear of a "rat attack."
As restaurants and other businesses close because of the pandemic, Chipotle has been growing rapidly. In July, CEO Brian Nicol said that he planned to double Chipotle locations in the US. The chain has even been reaching out to restaurants that aren't closed and offering to buy out their leases, Restaurant Business reported.