Florida Restaurant Closures: Roach & Fly Activity

DBPR Emergency Closures — 2021–Present

Florida DBPR health inspectors have ordered 620 emergency restaurant closures for "Roach & fly activity" since 2021, affecting 492 food service establishments. 33 of those establishments have been closed for this same reason more than once. In 2026: 73 closures (7.8% of all 2026 DBPR shutdowns), -36% 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.

620Total Closures
492Unique Facilities
33Repeat Offenders
73Closures 2026
-36%vs. 2025 (YTD)

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.

Health Risk

Cockroaches and flies together create overlapping contamination pathways — delivering Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, and Campylobacter to every part of the food preparation environment.

33 of 492 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

Top Cities — Roach & Fly Activity

Top Chains — Roach & Fly Activity

Restaurant chains with the most emergency closures for roach & fly activity.

Roach & Fly Activity Closures — Year Over Year

YearClosuresChange
2026 (YTD) 73 —
2025 114 +56.2%
2024 101 -11.4%
2023 128 +26.7%
2022 116 -9.4%
2021 88 -24.1%

Recent Roach & Fly Activity Closures

DateBusinessCityCounty
Tribute to Tobacco Road by Kush Miami Miami-Dade
Asian Fusion Buffet Apollo Beach Hillsborough
La Union Restaurant of Fla Margate Broward
Dunkin Arcadia DeSoto
Mama Kitchen Daytona Beach Volusia
Winghouse Bar + Grill Ocala Marion
Tavern at Cheval Lutz Hillsborough
Bella's Italian Cafe Tampa Hillsborough
Bagelicious and More Spring Hill Hernando
Arte Pizza Fernandina Beach Nassau
Wingstop Altamonte Springs Seminole
I Love Ny Pizza and Subs Orlando Orange
Q' Onda Taqueria Miami Miami-Dade
La Riviera Deerfield Beach Broward
Sichuan Family Jacksonville Duval
Grain and Berry Tampa Hillsborough
Ac Sports Bar Orlando Orange
Crab Trap Pensacola Escambia
Cooper Plam Beach Gardens Palm Beach
Doodle Noodle Bar Tampa Hillsborough

View All 2026 Closures →

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 620 emergency restaurant closures for "Roach & fly activity" since 2021, affecting 492 unique food service establishments. Of those, 33 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?
33 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.

Recent News & Analysis