Florida Wendy's Shut Down By State Inspection

Photo byCalgary Reviews from Calgary, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Floridians have no shortage of fast food choices - for those who enjoy that genre. From Florida-based Burger King to Chick-fil-A to Taco Bell, there is no shortage of options. However, one restaurant in this category - a Wendy's in Gainesville - was recently shut down after a state inspection.

About Wendy's: I would guess that most Floridians are familiar with Wendy's since it has been around for so long and locations are so plentiful. (There are 521 Wendy's restaurants in Florida.)

The chain began in 1969 and it's probably best known for its burgers, which are square instead of round and fresh never frozen.

The location in question, at 6700 Newberry Road, earns mixed reviews - a 3.6 out of 5 stars. Some complained about incorrect orders and a slippery floor. However, a reviewer named Patrick noted cleanliness, writing:

"Terrible. The place was dirty - trash (was) not taken out, gnats flying around, (and) both ketchup pumps were empty. This Wendy's looks brand new, but no one is treating it that way. I love the Wendy's brand and love the style of the new restaurants, but poor management is killing this location."

What Happened At Inspection?: According to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, an inspection occurred on September 18, 2024. At that time, 12 violations were noted.

Examples of basic violations were debris in the ware washing machine, debris on the floor and hood filters, and salt packets being stored on the floor.

An intermediate violation came for a soda nozzle with "food debris, (a) mold-like substance or slime."

High-priority violations were noted for the dish machine sanitizer not being at proper strength, live flying insects, the observation of live roaches, the observation of a cracked egg being stored for future use (which resulted in a stop-sale order,) and cold foods like frosties being held at too high of temperatures.

Because of some of the above violations, the restaurant was temporarily shut down.

A follow-up inspection on September 20th yielded two violations. Although another follow-up is required, neither violation was considered an immediate threat to the public so the restaurant was free to reopen.

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