Florida Checkers Shut Down After State Inspection - 2nd Closure

Photo byMichael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Floridians have plenty of fast food joints to choose from - there's Florida-based Burger King, McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, and Taco Bell, to name just a few options. Unfortunately, one store in this genre, a Port St. Lucie Checkers, was recently temporarily shut down after a state inspection.

About Checkers: The company's website stresses that it runs on the premise that fast food can be elevated. And although the chain serves the expected burgers and fries, you'll also find chicken wings and milkshakes.

The location in question, at 10461 S Federal Highway, earns 3 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor. While some compliment the food, others complain about wrong orders and customer service. A reviewer with the handle zqueball wrote, in part:

"I love Checkers, but this one is gross. They act like we can't see through the window. What is the point of wearing gloves?... They are not to keep your hands clean. How can they touch money, then sweep the floor, then touch my food, all without removing the gloves? I'm done with this place. The manager needs to hire better. They are all rude, too."

What Happened At Inspection?: According to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, an inspection occurred on August 6, 2024. At that time, 8 violations were noted.

Examples of basic violations were the ceiling in the women's bathroom dripping water, a hole in the wall of the women's bathroom, the observation of dead roaches, and the cooler having an accumulation of soil residue in the reach-in freezer.

A high-priority violation came from roach activity as evidenced by live roaches near the cashier station.

As a result of some of the above violations, the restaurant temporarily shut down. At a follow-up inspection on August 7, 2024, 2 violations remained. But neither was considered an immediate threat to the public so the restaurant "met inspection standards" and was free to reopen.

This is not the first closure for this location. It also had a closure in July of 2024.

Please note that an inspection is one moment in time and not necessarily how a restaurant conducts itself everyday.