McDonald’s, known for its fast service but not always for its cleanliness, has lost a loyal customer forever. A shocking incident occurred in a McDonald’s parking lot in Hull, East Yorkshire, United Kingdom, when a customer spotted a swarm of rats thriving off the trash dumped inside one of the bins. The disgusted customer took photos of the incident and shared them on Facebook, along with a strong message.
The customer, who preferred to remain anonymous, wrote on Facebook: “Feel free to share before someone gets seriously unwell!!! Rat for tea, anyone?! Well, to be precise, seven rats!! Talk about vermin control?! After seeing this, I will NOT be using McDonald’s on Holderness Road. A member of staff went and changed the bin bag without any PPE on and returned to the restaurant.”
According to the customer, the McDonald’s staff emptied the bin without wearing any protective equipment, just minutes after the rats had been feasting on the discarded food. Witnessing such an alarming sight made it clear to them that they would never set foot in another McDonald’s again.
In response to the rat infestation, the concerned customer spoke to HullLive and stated, “I am aware that vermin can be found where there is fast food and food waste, but this situation is on a whole other level. It’s not effective vermin control when you can witness this in broad daylight.”
This incident is not the first time McDonald’s in the United Kingdom has had trouble with rats. In January, another customer, a woman, shared a video of a rat scurrying across a dining table at a McDonald’s in Tilbury, Essex.
A McDonald’s spokesperson addressed the issue, saying, “We take cleanliness and hygiene very seriously. Pest control experts recently conducted a routine inspection of the site and confirmed that there was no evidence of pest-related activity in the restaurant. We are working with the landlords to proactively manage any potential challenges that may arise from the nearby railway area. The restaurant itself has not been affected.”
The incident caught the attention of the Daily Mail, and readers shared their reactions in the comments section. Here are some thoughts from concerned individuals:
“Just because we don’t normally see them doesn’t mean they’re not everywhere.”
“So? The rats have to survive like the rest of us. It’s unfortunate they have to resort to eating such junk, but they have no choice. Frankly, I’d rather be around seven rats than a few modern humans anyway.”
“If you go to any food outlet at night when it’s dark and use a powerful torch around the bin area, you’ll be greeted by many bright shiny pairs of eyes. So, don’t panic; the rats aren’t only in parliament and NHS unions.”
“Poor things! Have things gotten so bad that rats have to resort to eating that?”
The incident serves as a reminder to prioritize cleanliness and hygiene in food establishments to prevent such disturbing incidents from occurring in the future. McDonald’s assures its customers that they take these matters seriously and are actively working to address any potential challenges.
