Florida Fuddruckers Shut Down After State Inspection

Photo byEmerandSam from Ballina, Ireland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Fuddruckers is a bit like Friendly's in Florida in that there aren't many left. There are only 5 of the chain left in the Sunshine State and unfortunately, one of them, in Hialeah, was temporarily shut down after a state inspection.

About Fuddruckers: This chain's website says it has one goal - to create the world's greatest hamburger. To that end, their buns are made in-house and they offer a build-your-own burger bar and they've been doing so since the 1980s.

The location in question at 1645 West 49th Street # 1304 has been reviewed over 2,400 times on Google reviews where it earns 4.4 out of 5 stars. Many reviewers say that eating at Fuddruckers brings back memories, like a reviewer named Leslie who wrote:

"I'm giving this a five-star experience because I sorely miss this where I live in Illinois. Eating here brought back some very vivid memories and honestly, the food was the same. Delicious burgers and the best part is the ability to top them as you wish plus unlimited hot cheese. Please Fuddruckers, reopen in the Chicagoland area. We miss you."

What Happened At Inspection?: According to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, an inspection occurred on August 14, 2024. At that time, 7 violations were noted.

Examples of basic violations were clean utensils being stored between the equipment and the wall, the observation of dead roaches, and a wiping cloth not being stored in a sanitizing solution between uses.

An intermediate violation came because the handwash sink was observed for uses other than handwashing.

High-priority violations were noted because live roaches were observed. As a result of some of the above, the restaurant was temporarily shut down.

At a follow-up inspection on August 15, 2024, no violations were noted, the restaurant "met inspection standards" and was free to reopen.

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