Florida Restaurant Closures: No Warewashing Facilities
Florida DBPR health inspectors have ordered 77 emergency restaurant closures for "No Warewashing Facilities" since 2015, affecting 43 food service establishments. 1 of those establishments have been closed for this same reason more than once. In 2026: 1 closures (0.5% of all 2026 DBPR shutdowns), -90% vs. 2025. Broward County leads in No Warewashing Facilities closures; Saint Augustine is the most-affected city.
Source: Florida DBPR emergency closure records. Updated weekly every Monday morning.
What Is No Warewashing Facilities?
Warewashing — the commercial sanitization of dishes, utensils, cutting boards, and food contact equipment — is the last line of defense against cross-contamination in a restaurant kitchen. Without functioning warewashing facilities, dishes served to the next customer may carry residual pathogens from the previous one. A single improperly cleaned plate can transmit Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella, or E. coli. Florida law requires immediate closure when commercial warewashing capability is absent.
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 commercial sanitization, dishes and utensils can transmit Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella, and E. coli from one customer to the next without any decontamination step.
1 of 43 affected establishments have been emergency closed for no warewashing facilities on more than one occasion — raising questions about whether corrective actions are fully addressing the underlying conditions.
Top Counties — No Warewashing Facilities
| County | Closures |
|---|---|
| Broward County | 6 |
| St. Johns County | 6 |
| Miami-Dade County | 4 |
| Duval County | 4 |
| Collier County | 4 |
| Lee County | 3 |
| Orange County | 2 |
| Hillsborough County | 2 |
| Volusia County | 2 |
| Bay County | 1 |
Top Cities — No Warewashing Facilities
| City | Closures |
|---|---|
| Saint Augustine | 4 |
| Jacksonville | 4 |
| Naples | 4 |
| Miami Beach | 2 |
| Orlando | 2 |
| Hollywood | 2 |
| Pembroke Pines | 2 |
| Stuart | 1 |
| Kissimmee | 1 |
| St Augustine | 1 |
Top Chains — No Warewashing Facilities
Restaurant chains with the most emergency closures for no warewashing facilities.
| Chain | Closures |
|---|---|
| Subway | 2 |
| Best Western | 1 |
| Dairy Queen | 1 |
| Hungry Howies | 1 |
| Burger King | 1 |
No Warewashing Facilities Closures — Year Over Year
Recent No Warewashing Facilities Closures
| Date | Business | City | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Crave Ars Gates 1-9 | Orlando | Orange | |
| Island House Bar and Grill | Bonita Springs | Lee | |
| Otro Nivel Restaurant & Nightclub LLC | Naples | Collier | |
| Keystone Inn (the) | Keystone Heights | Bradford | |
| Pinolandia2go | Pembroke Pines | Broward | |
| Saigon Wok | Fleming Island | Clay | |
| Champions Club at Summerfield | Stuart | Martin | |
| Keith Pierson Toyota | Jacksonville | Duval | |
| Fields Cadillac St Augustine | St. Augustine | St. Johns | |
| Subway 17951 | Naples | Collier | |
| Thai Basil Restaurant | Panama City | Bay | |
| Senor Tequilas | Naples | Collier | |
| Latin American Grill | Pembroke Pines | Broward | |
| Thunder J's Pizzeria | Saint Augustine | St. Johns | |
| Oceans 13 Sports Bar & Grill | Hollywood | Broward | |
| Peace Pie | Saint Augustine | St. Johns | |
| Take Out Cafeteria | Alva | Lee | |
| Taqueria Julios INC | Wimauma | Hillsborough | |
| Polo Club of Boca Raton Laurels | Boca Raton | Palm Beach | |
| Burger King #1963 | St. Petersburg | Pinellas |
FAQ: No Warewashing Facilities Restaurant Closures
- Why do Florida restaurants get emergency closed for No Warewashing Facilities?
- Warewashing — the commercial sanitization of dishes, utensils, cutting boards, and food contact equipment — is the last line of defense against cross-contamination in a restaurant kitchen. Without functioning warewashing facilities, dishes served to the next customer may carry residual pathogens from the previous one. A single improperly cleaned plate can transmit Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella, or E. coli. Florida law requires immediate closure when commercial warewashing capability is absent. 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 Warewashing Facilities cause in a restaurant?
- Without commercial sanitization, dishes and utensils can transmit Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella, and E. coli from one customer to the next without any decontamination step. 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 Warewashing Facilities?
- DBPR has ordered 77 emergency restaurant closures for "No Warewashing Facilities" since 2015, affecting 43 unique food service establishments. Of those, 1 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 Warewashing Facilities more than once?
- 1 Florida restaurants have been closed for "No Warewashing Facilities" 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 Warewashing Facilities restaurant closures?
- Broward County has the highest documented No Warewashing Facilities 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 Warewashing Facilities restaurant closure last in Florida?
- A Florida DBPR emergency closure for No Warewashing Facilities 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.