Florida Restaurant Closures: Roach & Fly Activity
Florida DBPR health inspectors have ordered 559 emergency restaurant closures for "Roach & fly activity" since 2021, affecting 442 food service establishments. 30 of those establishments have been closed for this same reason more than once. In 2026: 12 closures (6.5% of all 2026 DBPR shutdowns), -89.5% vs. 2025. Palm Beach County leads in Roach & fly activity closures; Tampa is the most-affected city.
Source: Florida DBPR emergency closure records. Updated weekly every Monday morning.
What Is Roach & Fly Activity?
A concurrent cockroach and fly infestation creates overlapping contamination pathways across a food service establishment. Cockroaches contaminate surfaces and stored food at night; flies contaminate during service hours. Together, they cover every critical control point in a kitchen — from raw food storage to finished plates. Both pests are fecal-oral transmission vectors for Salmonella, E. coli, Shigella, and Campylobacter, the leading causes of foodborne illness in the United States.
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.
Cockroaches and flies together create overlapping contamination pathways — delivering Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, and Campylobacter to every part of the food preparation environment.
30 of 442 affected establishments have been emergency closed for roach & fly activity on more than one occasion — raising questions about whether corrective actions are fully addressing the underlying conditions.
Top Counties — Roach & Fly Activity
| County | Closures |
|---|---|
| Palm Beach County | 74 |
| Hillsborough County | 72 |
| Pinellas County | 70 |
| Broward County | 47 |
| Orange County | 27 |
| Duval County | 25 |
| Miami-Dade County | 24 |
| Pasco County | 17 |
| Polk County | 14 |
| Citrus County | 8 |
Top Cities — Roach & Fly Activity
| City | Closures |
|---|---|
| Tampa | 47 |
| Orlando | 25 |
| St. Petersburg | 23 |
| Jacksonville | 20 |
| Miami | 17 |
| Brandon | 17 |
| Pinellas Park | 11 |
| Lake Worth | 11 |
| West Palm Beach | 11 |
| Boynton Beach | 10 |
Top Chains — Roach & Fly Activity
Restaurant chains with the most emergency closures for roach & fly activity.
| Chain | Closures |
|---|---|
| Popeyes | 9 |
| Ruby Tuesday | 5 |
| KFC | 5 |
| McDonalds | 5 |
| Dunkin | 4 |
| Burger King | 4 |
| Bonefish Grill | 3 |
| Church's Chicken | 3 |
| Wendys | 3 |
| Chipotle | 3 |
Roach & Fly Activity Closures — Year Over Year
Recent Roach & Fly Activity Closures
| Date | Business | City | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tequilas Mexican Restaurant | Jacksonville | Duval | |
| Huddle House | Ocala | Marion | |
| 5th Element Taste of India | Jacksonville | Duval | |
| Wendy's | Lake Worth | Palm Beach | |
| Red Crab - Juicy Seafood | West Palm Beach | Palm Beach | |
| Mixers Bar and Grille | Palm Harbor | Pinellas | |
| Kellys Crickets | Melbourne | Brevard | |
| Club De La Milanesa | Miami | Miami-Dade | |
| La Bodega Restaurant | Miami | Miami-Dade | |
| Thai Island Orlando Restaurant | Orlando | Orange | |
| Los Catrachos II | Green Acres | Palm Beach | |
| Memo Modern Italian | Tampa | Hillsborough | |
| Oops Alley | Milton | Santa Rosa | |
| La Mansion Mexican Grill and Cantina LLC | New Port Richey | Pasco | |
| Crazy Sushi | Wesley Chapel | Pasco | |
| Latin Grill Tampa INC | Tampa | Hillsborough | |
| Einstein Bros Bagels #3676 | Orlando | Orange | |
| Lickie Stickie BBQ | Sunrise | Broward | |
| Mr Dunderbaks | Tampa | Hillsborough | |
| Bonefish Grill | Ocala | Marion |
FAQ: Roach & Fly Activity Restaurant Closures
- Why do Florida restaurants get emergency closed for Roach & fly activity?
- A concurrent cockroach and fly infestation creates overlapping contamination pathways across a food service establishment. Cockroaches contaminate surfaces and stored food at night; flies contaminate during service hours. Together, they cover every critical control point in a kitchen — from raw food storage to finished plates. Both pests are fecal-oral transmission vectors for Salmonella, E. coli, Shigella, and Campylobacter, the leading causes of foodborne illness in the United States. 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 Roach & fly activity cause in a restaurant?
- Cockroaches and flies together create overlapping contamination pathways — delivering Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, and Campylobacter to every part of the food preparation environment. 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 Roach & fly activity?
- DBPR has ordered 559 emergency restaurant closures for "Roach & fly activity" since 2021, affecting 442 unique food service establishments. Of those, 30 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 Roach & fly activity more than once?
- 30 Florida restaurants have been closed for "Roach & fly activity" 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 Roach & fly activity restaurant closures?
- Palm Beach County has the highest documented Roach & fly activity 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 Roach & fly activity restaurant closure last in Florida?
- A Florida DBPR emergency closure for Roach & fly activity 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.