If you're in the mood for the popular Mexican food at Taco Bus, there are eight different locations to chose from all over the bay area.
But the Taco Bus at 1001 East Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa couldn't serve any chips and salsa last week after the state shut it down for uninvited guests in the kitchen.
On July 31 Taco Bus had to temporarily close for 21 hours after inspectors found two dead rodents next to the walk-in cooler and evidence of live rodents still around.
The state discovered almost 50 rodent droppings under the shelving near the walk in cooler, under dry storage racks, and rodent nesting materials near the freezer and cooler with walls in disrepair, including holes.
Other violations found that week include dead roaches and flying insects in the kitchen, an insect control device installed over the food prep area, cross contamination issues with raw chicken stored over beef and raw beef next to hot dog buns, beans and rice held more than 24 hours and not properly date marked, and no soap or paper towels for employees to use at the hand wash sink, along with no certified food manager on duty.
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Taco Bus Statement:
We care very much for our customers and the quality of the Taco Bus experience. As you may know, we have recently announced a $2-million dollar investment into our Hillsborough location as well as several new locations. Our warehouse on that site was the only structure cited in this report and was closed for less than a day. As we have already shared, we are demolishing this building and building a brand new state-of-the-art facility in its place.
Although we plan to demolish this building, we have had construction done to remedy the situation and any concerns. We have hired a new manager for this location and a new national pest control company specializing in restaurants.
Some additional changes that will benefit all eight of our restaurants include the hiring of a trainer who will ensure all of our more than 200 employees provide the best service for our customers. We have also hired a quality control inspector who will work with each location to ensure that all restaurants consistently offer the highest quality experience.
