Restaurant reopens after rat scare

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - The Waffle House on Indian River Road which had voluntarily closed Tuesday for allegations of a rat problem has reopened.

Managers say they regularly schedule pest control services, which does not explain a photo showing four rats in the restaurant a former employee claims to have taken last weekend.

According to the Virginia Beach Health Department, when a picture like that is shown, it puts more pressure on the restaurant and their pest control company to do more to eradicate the rats.

"The picture is a game changer because we did not see any feces in the Waffle House," says Dan Horne who is an Environmental Health Supervisor with the Virginia Beach Health Department.

Previous health inspections did not show any signs of rats in the Waffle House, but another inspection Tuesday showed rats were likely entering under an outside closet door. The rats would climb the wall, race across the ceiling tiles and then climb down into the restaurant.  

Foam now seals a small opening on both sides of the door guard under the closet door. The seal completely blocks any passage into the closet. Traps are now set up outside of the restaurant and certified pest control that once came every month, then every week will now come every day.

"What we are concerned about is to make sure they maintain this increased attention to this problem," Horne said.

The Health Department says controlling and eliminating rats are two different things.

"The regulations don't require they be eliminated, but controlled ... I agree we can't have this. I definitely agree with that," Horne said.