A McDonald's restaurant in Ohio was forced to close by health authorities after a customer found a crack pipe in his order.
The latter shared his mishap on Tuesday morning in an anonymous publication on the Reddit platform. He mentioned that he brought the bag of his food back to the restaurant to alert the manager. He then informed health authorities of the situation after refusing a refund.
Health problems
Inspectors closed the restaurant on Wednesday after being notified of several issues that threatened the health of the premises.
Alex Mendoza, the restaurant's owner, said the closure was related to the presence of “construction dust” and had nothing to do with the presence of a cracked pipe.
In fact, work was being carried out in the building and workers were moving freely around the restaurant, leaving dangerous residue on work surfaces. According to health authorities' observations, no barrier was placed between the restaurant and the area where the work was carried out.
Dirt, screws, computer parts and wood splinters were found on surfaces and equipment used to prepare food. Further warnings have been issued relating to counter disinfection and food contamination. Inspectors also required the restaurant to train someone on safety standards.
The company has until January 4th to comply with health regulations.
Ongoing investigation
Alex Mendoza, who manages 16 McDonald's restaurants in the area, said he would “investigate the incident” involving the crack pipe.
“We take this incident seriously,” he told local media. The safety of our customers is always our priority.
“We have no evidence that it came from our restaurant, but we will continue our investigation in cooperation with the police,” he said.
According to the New York Post and the Columbus Dispatch