Rats Overrun Washington Heights Chipotle: Employees Speak Out

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — Workers at a Chipotle on Broadway are speaking out after a rat infestation has closed down the eatery twice in the last three weeks.

The 4009 Broadway outpost, near West 169th Street, most recently shut down Nov. 30 after rats who had plagued the restaurant for at least a week chewed through wiring used for the digital ordering system.

That closure came two days after the eatery reopened from a four-day shut down after three workers were bitten by rats in the span of three days, according to labor union 32BJ SEIU. The eatery had hired an exterminator and reopened on Nov. 28.

But the current shutdown hasn't done much to stop the harm to workers, according to the union. As of Friday, Chipotle was still having cleaning crews come to work at the Broadway outpost, including one employee who became the fourth worker to get bitten by a rat.

“When I got bitten by a rat on Friday, I felt horrified and disgusted," said the worker, Melvin Paulino. "I’ve washed my finger a thousand times and still I can’t even bear to look at it. It’s not right that Chipotle didn’t keep us safe from getting bitten by rats.”

Workers told 32BJ SEIU that they told their manager that the rat problem had been getting worse, according to the union. Some employees had been chasing the rats and killing them with sticks out of fear of getting bitten, workers said.

"The health and safety of our employees and guests is our top priority," Laurie Schalow, Chief Corporate Affairs and Food Safety Officer at Chipotle, told Patch. "The Columbia Presbyterian restaurant in New York City has been mainly closed since November 23rd due to a pest problem caused by vacated adjoining restaurants. During this time, we have arranged emergency pest service, deep cleaning of the restaurant and are working with the landlord to ensure improvements are made before reopening."

The Washington Heights Chipotle is one block from the Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.

Any evidence of rats within a restaurant is a critical violation of the New York City health code.

"Then, moving boxes one day, I got bitten," said Luis Gustavo Paulino Ruiz. "It was terrifying. If something happened to me, my pregnant wife in the Dominican Republic would be left with no support."