Page 16 - IAV Digital Magazine #463

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Burger Joint Closes After Video Appears to Show Rat Cooking
By The Associated Press
HONOLULU — A Hawaii-based burger chain has closed a Honolulu restau- rant for cleaning after a video posted to social media appeared to show a rat being cooked on the grill.
Teddy's Bigger Burgers has closed the Mapunapuna location and fired two employees who appeared in the Snapchat video.
"We are horri- fied that a for- mer teenage employee would conduct them- selves in that way and make
such a video of which we are investigating its authenticity," said Richard Stula, the presi- dent of Teddy's Bigger Burgers.
The company initiated a "com- plete sanitiza- tion" and is replacing equip- ment and uten- sils at the fast- food restaurant
after the video was shared with them several days ago, Stula said in the statement.
"We will then send a corpo- rate team in to inspect and complete a thor- ough audit of the location before it is allowed to re- open," Stula
said.
The state Department of Health is sched- uled to inspect the restaurant on Mapunapuna Street on Friday.
The company is also contacting a licensed pest control operator to examine the restaurant for rodents, said
Peter Oshiro, the state's envi- ronmental health program manager. "DOH appreciates the remedial and proactive efforts undertaken by the restaurant owner to protect public health," Oshiro said in a statement.
The restaurant received a passing green placard follow- ing its last state inspection in June.
The company is consulting with its attorneys about potential legal action against the for- mer employees, Stula said. "We are horrified a former employ- ee would create something like this trying to destroy our rep- utation without regard for our 20-plus years of quality and aloha," he said.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine