Clermont's Popeyes in Lake County, FL, was closed due to 14 violations - Reopened

Popeyes chicken sandwich.Photo byThomas Hawk/Flickr

Popeyes at 16530 State Rte 50 in Clermont, Florida, experienced a temporary closure following a series of inspections by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation. On July 26, 2024, this Lake County location of the popular fast food chain saw its facility ordered to stop operations due to 14 violations.

A follow-up inspection on July 27, 2024, extended the closure period as five violations persisted. By July 29, 2024, the restaurant met inspection standards and was permitted to resume service.

Why Was The Restaurant Closed?

The initial inspection on July 26, which stemmed from a complaint, revealed several high-priority violations, including live flying insects in the kitchen and food storage areas. Additionally, a stop sale was issued for French fries and biscuits contaminated by condensation from the air conditioning system.

The intermediate violation had to do with failure to service a water treatment device as per the manufacturer's instructions.

Meanwhile, basic violations were multiple and varied, encompassing an accumulation of mold-like substances in the ice machine and on ceiling tiles, improper disposal of air conditioning condensation, and personal items stored in food preparation areas.

Despite these issues, corrective actions were taken, and the restaurant was allowed to reopen after meeting the required standards during the July 29 inspection.

This Lake County Popeyes location has a 3.0-star rating from 1,655 Google reviews at the time of writing this article.

Betsy Lewis, a recent customer, shared on Google Reviews,

"Last straw! I love Popeyes but the Clermont store is horrible for the chain. This has happened multiple times and I keep giving them another chance. This particular problem is they left my chicken sandwich and red beans and rice out of my delivery order. I am livid! That left me only the most horrible wings I've ever had!!!"

This series of events underpins the importance of maintaining ongoing hygiene and operational standards in food establishments to ensure customer safety and satisfaction.

NOTE: Please note that an inspection report, per the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, provides a snapshot of the conditions observed during the inspection.