Oakland McDonald’s closed after inspection found a rat infestation

A rat infestation at a McDonald’s restaurant in Oakland has led to a worker strike and a suspension of operations by Alameda County health inspectors.

The provincial Department of Environmental Health confirmed Monday that the restaurant at 1330 Jackson St. was closed Friday after an inspection revealed evidence of rodents. The closure followed an employee complaint to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, alleging the infestation had been going on since late 2022, and although exterminators had made a few visits, the problem was never resolved.

In the complaint to Cal-OSHA, filed May 1, employees Angelica Garcia and Oscar Rodriguez wrote:

“Every day we see rats in the kitchen. We see rats at the grill where we make the burgers, nibbling on bits of bacon or on burgers ready to be sent to the customers, and we see rat droppings next to the bags of chicken nuggets, Big Macs and the papers we wrap around cheeseburgers.”

The signatories claimed they were warned by store management that they would be fired if they took photos of rat evidence or filed a complaint.

The statement, accompanied by photos of both live and dead rats at the scene, was sent to Wendy Hogle-Lui of Cal-OSHA. Then the Alameda County Health Department sent an inspector. A dead rat was spotted in the kitchen during the inspection on Friday and the store’s operating license was suspended.

The restaurant cannot reopen until it corrects the violations and is cleared by county health officials, and the owner has not yet called to request a new inspection, the department said.

A McDonald’s representative did not respond to a request for comment. Shop owner Joseph Wong was also unavailable for comment.

Six workers, represented by the California Fast Food Workers Union, went on strike Saturday to protest ongoing conditions at McDonald’s, and planned to hold a walkout Tuesday afternoon at 5 p.m. to draw attention to the complaint.

Reach Sam Whiting: [email protected]