When it comes to grabbing a quick bite, fast food is often our go-to. But behind the shiny counters, not every chain is living up to health standards. From outbreaks to molds, some fast food restaurants have racked up shocking health violations. Whether you’re a fast food fan or just health-conscious, these eye-opening cases might make you think twice before your next drive-thru run. Here are 10 fast food restaurants that made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
10. Jack in the Box
Back in 1993, an outbreak affected 700 people in the US, and everyone pointed at Jack in the Box. The source was traced to the contaminated beef patties, which caused a bacterium called Escherichia coli O157:H7. This E. coli bacteria causes gastrointestinal illness and kidney failure, resulting in four deaths and over $50 million in settlements and legal fees.
9. Chipotle
Over 60 people across 14 states were affected by E. coli and norovirus at Chipotle in 2015. It began in October 2015, when customers who dined at Chipotle locations in Oregon and Washington reported symptoms. The chain also received reports in its Boston locations. As a result, they were forced to close many of their locations to prevent the spread. This also led to an overhaul of food safety protocols and employee training.
8. Chi-Chi’s
Remember Chi-Chi’s? It was a once-popular chain in Minneapolis that served Mexican food. However, it closed down in 2003 after they filed for bankruptcy. A month later, they became a source of the largest Hepatitis A outbreak in the country. Around 660 people were affected, while four died after coming into contact with the virus at a Chi-Chi’s location in a mall in Monaca, Pennsylvania. The source? It was traced towards some raw green onions, an ingredient for their salsa. As a result of financial settlements, Chi-Chi’s has to close down the rest of its U.S. stores and even those in Canada.
7. Taco Bell
In 2006, around 70 customers from four Northeastern states ended up with E. coli. 53 of them were infected severely, so they had to be put under hospital care. The culprit? It’s none other than the chain’s shredded lettuce, which was an ingredient included in 60% of the chain’s menu items.
6. Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Who knew that a healthy fruit smoothie could cause you health problems? Around 143 people in 2016 fell ill after consuming drinks from Tropical Smoothie Cafe in nine states. These people came in contact with Hepatitis A, with 56 of them hospitalized. The culprit was found to be the frozen strawberries, which were imported from Egypt.
5. Wendy’s
In 2022, 109 people from six states were affected by an E. coli outbreak. What do they all have in common? They all ate a hamburger at Wendy’s. A CDC investigation was launched, and they pointed to the romaine lettuce in both burgers and sandwiches. However, they couldn’t confirm it since there’s a lack of laboratory or traceback evidence. With this, Wendy’s pulled out their romaine lettuce from affected restaurants to prevent the spread.
4. McDonald’s
Speaking of E. coli, the bacteria are also the cause of why 700 people in the Midwest caught it. They traced it to contaminated hamburgers in McDonald’s, which resulted in four deaths and hundreds under hospitalization. The E. coli is believed to have originated from the meatpacking facilities that supply the meat for the chain. With this, McDonald’s was sued by people who were affected.
3. KFC
In 2005, NBC’s Dateline used hidden cameras at some of the country’s popular fast food chains, and one chain they observed was KFC. Pulling records from health reports, they found that KFC has an average of 102 critical violations. In their surveillance, cross-contamination was a common health violation. In one location in Chandler, Arizona, reports show that there seems to be a buildup of grime and mold in their soda nozzles.
2. Dairy Queen
In the same NBC Dateline hidden camera, Dairy Queen was found to have 98 critical violations in every 100 inspections. At one Dairy Queen location in Virginia, the team found a worker touching and cooking meat and switching to preparing ice cream without washing her hands. Yup, that’s cross-contamination right there!
1. Hardee’s
You’re probably wondering which restaurant chain garnered the highest violation on NBC Dateline. Yup, it’s Hardee’s with 118 critical violations out of 100 inspections. The chain racked up the highest number when it comes to mold and grime. One location in Virginia even had seven critical violations, including a grime and debris stuck in their soda nozzles.