Florida Restaurant Closures: No Restrooms
Florida DBPR health inspectors have ordered 105 emergency restaurant closures for "No restrooms" since 2015, affecting 75 food service establishments. 8 of those establishments have been closed for this same reason more than once. In 2026: 1 closures (0.5% of all 2026 DBPR shutdowns), -93.3% vs. 2025. Brevard County leads in No restrooms closures; Tallahassee is the most-affected city.
Source: Florida DBPR emergency closure records. Updated weekly every Monday morning.
What Is No Restrooms?
Functioning employee restrooms are not optional in a food service establishment — they are a fundamental public health requirement. Without restrooms, employees have no designated facility to perform proper handwashing after using the toilet, before handling food, or after handling raw meat. The absence of restroom facilities breaks the most critical barrier against fecal-oral pathogen transmission — the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks. Florida law mandates closure when restroom facilities are non-functional.
Under Florida law, DBPR health inspectors have the authority to order the immediate emergency closure of any food service establishment when conditions present an imminent public health risk. The establishment cannot reopen until a follow-up inspection confirms the violation has been fully corrected.
Without restrooms, fecal-oral pathogen transmission — the mechanism behind Norovirus, Hepatitis A, and E. coli outbreaks — becomes nearly impossible to prevent.
8 of 75 affected establishments have been emergency closed for no restrooms on more than one occasion — raising questions about whether corrective actions are fully addressing the underlying conditions.
Top Counties — No Restrooms
| County | Closures |
|---|---|
| Brevard County | 9 |
| Miami-Dade County | 8 |
| Orange County | 8 |
| Hillsborough County | 7 |
| Pinellas County | 6 |
| Leon County | 6 |
| Duval County | 5 |
| Volusia County | 5 |
| Broward County | 4 |
| Indian River County | 3 |
Top Cities — No Restrooms
| City | Closures |
|---|---|
| Tallahassee | 6 |
| Orlando | 6 |
| Jacksonville | 5 |
| Miami | 5 |
| Tampa | 5 |
| Titusville | 3 |
| Daytona Beach | 3 |
| Vero Beach | 3 |
| Merritt Island | 2 |
| Lake City | 2 |
Top Chains — No Restrooms
Restaurant chains with the most emergency closures for no restrooms.
| Chain | Closures |
|---|---|
| Dunkin | 13 |
| Burger King | 6 |
| Jersey Mikes | 4 |
| Wendys | 4 |
| Popeyes | 4 |
| Subway | 3 |
| Taco Bell | 2 |
| McDonalds | 2 |
| Tropical Smoothie | 1 |
| Dairy Queen | 1 |
No Restrooms Closures — Year Over Year
Recent No Restrooms Closures
| Date | Business | City | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huey Magoo's Chicken Tenders | Odessa | Pasco | |
| Jersey Mike's Subs | Indialantic | Brevard | |
| Fortune Kitchen Usf | Tampa | Hillsborough | |
| Burger King | Orlando | Orange | |
| Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen #139 | Tallahassee | Leon | |
| Wendy's #201 | Key West | Monroe | |
| Dunkin Donuts | Tarpon Springs | Pinellas | |
| Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen #139 | Tallahassee | Leon | |
| Dunkin Donuts | Middleburg | Clay | |
| Bethune Blvd Grill | Daytona Beach | Volusia | |
| Dubliner Irish Pub (the) | Tampa | Hillsborough | |
| Jersey Mike's Subs - Miami | Miami | Miami-Dade | |
| Retro House | Tampa | Hillsborough | |
| Sister Soul Food | Orlando | Orange | |
| Jersey Mike's Subs #13179 | Miami | Miami-Dade | |
| Dunkin #362984 | Osprey | Sarasota | |
| Taco Bell #27 | Daytona Beach | Volusia | |
| Poke&habachi | Tampa | Hillsborough | |
| Dunkin' Donuts | Deltona | Volusia | |
| Black Cattle Burger Company | St. Petersburg | Pinellas |
FAQ: No Restrooms Restaurant Closures
- Why do Florida restaurants get emergency closed for No restrooms?
- Functioning employee restrooms are not optional in a food service establishment — they are a fundamental public health requirement. Without restrooms, employees have no designated facility to perform proper handwashing after using the toilet, before handling food, or after handling raw meat. The absence of restroom facilities breaks the most critical barrier against fecal-oral pathogen transmission — the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks. Florida law mandates closure when restroom facilities are non-functional. Under Florida law, DBPR inspectors are required to order immediate emergency closure when conditions present an imminent public health threat that cannot be corrected while customers are being served.
- What diseases can No restrooms cause in a restaurant?
- Without restrooms, fecal-oral pathogen transmission — the mechanism behind Norovirus, Hepatitis A, and E. coli outbreaks — becomes nearly impossible to prevent. These pathogens are responsible for the most common forms of foodborne illness in the United States — including Salmonellosis, E. coli infection, and Norovirus gastroenteritis — and can cause serious complications in children, elderly individuals, and immunocompromised customers.
- How many Florida restaurants have been closed for No restrooms?
- DBPR has ordered 105 emergency restaurant closures for "No restrooms" since 2015, affecting 75 unique food service establishments. Of those, 8 have been closed for this same reason more than once — a pattern that raises serious questions about whether the underlying conditions are being fully corrected between shutdowns.
- What does it mean when a restaurant is closed for No restrooms more than once?
- 8 Florida restaurants have been closed for "No restrooms" on more than one occasion. Repeat closures for the same reason can indicate that the root cause — whether structural, operational, or management-related — is not being fully addressed during the remediation period between closures. DBPR inspectors may impose additional penalties or pursue license revocation in cases of repeated violations.
- Which Florida county has the most No restrooms restaurant closures?
- Brevard County has the highest documented No restrooms restaurant closure count in Florida. High-volume counties typically reflect their population density and the concentration of food service establishments rather than a disproportionate rate of violations per restaurant.
- How long does a No restrooms restaurant closure last in Florida?
- A Florida DBPR emergency closure for No restrooms remains in effect until a DBPR inspector conducts a callback inspection and confirms the violation has been fully corrected. Restaurants with pest-related closures typically undergo professional extermination, deep cleaning, and structural remediation before requesting a callback — a process that can take anywhere from 24 hours to several days depending on the severity of the infestation.