NYC Dunkin' Donuts Shut Down After Shocking Video Goes Viral

4/3/2014
Updated:
7/18/2015

A New York City Dunkin' Donuts was shut down by the Health Department after an inspection following a viral video starring a rat. Uploaded on April 1, YouTube user pjayone said that rats were “eating and running on the mornings fresh stock at Dunkin Donuts prior to store opening.”

The 15-second video shows a rat touching a croissant before heading down a few rows of pastries It was recorded at the 37th Street and 8th Avenue location.

The Health Department inspected the Manhattan location after the video went viral and promptly shut it down. In a statement to the Gothamist, the Health Department said: “Dunkin’ Donuts was closed by the Health Department yesterday because of a public health hazard that could not be corrected at the time of the inspection. In this case, the restaurant had a severe pest infestation that will require professional pest control services. They were also cited for other critical violations, including inadequate hand washing facilities and food not being protected from contamination.”