Rodents. Dough on floor. ‘Gummy-looking substance.’ Wichita KS restaurant inspections

Amy Renee Leiker
·8 min read

Four restaurants, a supermarket, a snack shop and a convenience store in Wichita were out of compliance during food safety and lodging inspections conducted by the Kansas Department of Agriculture over the past two weeks. Their problems include rodent feces on sales shelves, dried up dough bits littering the floor, an employee who didn’t wear gloves to put lemons in customers’ drinks, not using sanitizer, a broken toilet and an “accumulation of dried liquid, gummy-looking substance, and black wet liquid” under soda and coffee machines, according to inspection reports.

Information about the seven businesses and a summary of their violations appears below. The list was compiled Jan. 10 and includes inspections conducted in Sedgwick County from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6.

More than 70 establishments passed inspections during that time. They also appear below. Some may have been non-compliant previously.

Owners or managers can contact Eagle reporter Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com to comment on inspection results that appear in this story.

More details about the inspection results are in The Eagle’s searchable database of non-compliant restaurant and hotel inspections at www.kansas.com/databases.

How establishments fail

Most violations are minor and are corrected during an inspection.

Businesses fall out of compliance when they have too many violations, issues that can cause foodborne illnesses or when a problem can’t be fixed right away, like bug and rodent infestations. Typically, establishments are re-inspected within 10 days.

It’s rare for a facility to shut down over a failed inspection. But it can happen due to things like sewage backups, pest problems, and water or power outages. Usually, closures are temporary.

You can search food and lodging inspection results in any Kansas county at www.foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.

Out-of-compliance inspections

Kwik Shop, 277 S. Ridge Road in Wichita — Four violations on Jan. 4 during a routine inspection. No probe food thermometer, no test strips to measure strength of sanitizer, expired Advil PM for sale, no soap at hand-washing sink. Next inspection: Jan. 14.

Little Caesars Pizza, 2046 W. 21st St. in Wichita — Two violations on Jan. 4 during a routine inspection. Chemical cleaners were stored near clean food containers and pans, pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese wasn’t cold enough in refrigerated preparation table. Next inspection: Jan. 14.

Minisuper Aquascalientes, 3363 E. 47th St. South in Wichita — Thirteen violations on Jan. 4 during a routine inspection. Raw eggs stored above sour cream containers, employee used dedicated food preparation sink to wash hands, butter wasn’t fully covered in cooler, some foods including salsa and pasta sheets weren’t labeled with allergen or ingredient information, menudo was stored in t-shirt bags in freezer, no soap at kitchen hand-washing sink, cooked chicken and salsa weren’t labeled with preparation dates, self-service bakery bread wasn’t properly labeled, approximately 100 rodent droppings along walls and in back storage room plus more on retail shelves behind cans and sauces, toilet didn’t flush correctly and was rigged with a plastic lever so water flowed, no paper towels at kitchen hand-washing sink. Next inspection: Jan. 14.

Playa Azul Authentic Mexican, 111 N. Washington in Wichita — One violation on Jan. 2 during a modified complaint inspection. No hot water at hand-washing sink. Next inspection: Jan. 12.

Red Lobster, 333 S. Towne East Mall Drive in Wichita — Seven violations on Jan. 2 during a routine inspection. No soap at server alley hand-washing sink, clean containers still had sticker residue on them and ramekins in clean storage were soiled with food, no paper towels at kitchen hand-washing sink, container of whipped cream wasn’t labeled with opening date, employee put lemons into drinking glasses with her bare hands, restaurant was using too much dish sanitizer, cheeses and vegetables weren’t cold enough in refrigeration. Next inspection: Jan. 12.

Snack Zone inside the Sedgwick County Courthouse, 525 N. Main in Wichita — Three violations on Jan. 2 during its first operational inspection after licensing. Shop doesn’t have area to wash and sanitize cooking items or coffee pots, no sanitizer available on site. Next inspection: Jan. 12.

Spears Restaurant & Pie Shop, 4323 W. Maple in Wichita — Seven violations on Dec. 27 during a complaint inspection. No ambient air thermometer in cooler in server alley, several pieces of dried dough on bakery area floor, container of meatballs was labeled with wrong preparation date, bucket of sanitizer wasn’t labeled with contents, meatballs and ham weren’t cold enough in refrigeration, fruit and whipped topping weren’t cold enough in refrigeration, probe thermometer wasn’t calibrated correctly, dirty conditions including “accumulation of dried liquid, gummy-looking substance, and black wet liquid” under soda and coffee machines and grease and dust build-up on other appliances. Next scheduled inspection: Jan. 7.

How to complain

If you see problems at a food or lodging establishment, you can file a complaint.

To notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767. You can also file a report at www.foodsafetykansas.org.

To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event, contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317 or www.foodsafetykansas.org.

Complaints about conditions at hotels and motels can be submitted at https://agriculture.ks.gov/kda-services/complaint-form/food-safety-and-lodging-complaint.

For more information about foodborne illnesses, visit www.foodsafety.gov.

These businesses passed inspections

Dec. 24-30

  • AFC Sushi inside Dillons, 10515 W. Central in Wichita

  • AFC Sushi inside Dillons, 2244 N. Rock Road Court in Wichita

  • AFC Sushi inside Dillons, 5500 E. Harry in Wichita

  • Aldi, 8011 E. Kellogg in Wichita

  • Alpha Source Marketing, 3737 N. Hydraulic in Wichita

  • American Legion Post 273, 1335 N. Hydraulic in Wichita

  • Barn’rds Restaurant, 3860 N. Maize Road in Maize

  • Boss Tea, 7130 W. Maple, Suite 220 in Wichita

  • Chipotle Mexican Grill, 2439 S. Seneca in Wichita

  • Coffee Daze, 3236 E. Douglas, Suite 100 in Wichita

  • Cold Stone Creamery, 7325 W. Taft in Wichita

  • Corner Market, 1254 S. Tyler Road in Wichita

  • Corner Market, 515 N. Seneca in Wichita

  • Dillons, 13415 W. Maple in Wichita

  • Dollar Plus Grocery & Smoke Shop, 1341 N. Grove in Wichita

  • The Easy Egg Breakfast & Lunch, 5700 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita

  • Farmers Market, 2901 N. Broadway in Wichita

  • Freezing Moo, 2684 N. Greenwich Court, Suite 200 in Wichita

  • Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, 306 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, 4521 E. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Hog Wild Pit Bar-B-Q, 3519 E. Central, Suite 109 in Wichita

  • Kentucky Fried Chicken, 6131 E. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Knolla’s Pizza, 111 W. Douglas, Suite 100 in Wichita

  • Koch Industries 37 West, 4111 E. 37th St. North in Wichita

  • Krispy Kreme, 7777 E. Central in Wichita

  • Kwik Shop, 4802 E. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Maple Street Pizza Company, 12111 W. Maple, Unit 131 in Wichita

  • Matheson Tri-Gas Inc., 1844 S. Florence Court in Wichita

  • McDonald’s, 506 N. Tyler Road in Wichita

  • Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, 2020 N. Woodlawn, Suite 220 in Wichita

  • Perfect Plate, 5255 N. Maize Road, Suite 104 in Maize

  • Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, 3166 N. Maize Road in Wichita

  • Prost, 2721 E. Central, Suite 101 in Wichita

  • Red Bull Distribution Company, 2531 S. Kessler in Wichita

  • The Ridge Nutrition Community, 375 S. Maize Road, Suite 111 in Wichita

  • Smoothie King, 2698 N. Greenwich in Wichita

  • Smoothie King, 3236 N. Rock Road, Suite 200 in Wichita

  • Starbucks Coffee, 2166 N. Amidon in Wichita

  • Subway, 1660 S. Webb in Wichita

  • Target, 2727 N. Maize Road in Wichita

  • Wendy’s, 3601 E. Harry in Wichita

  • Yoder Meats, 375 S. Maize Road in Wichita

Dec. 31 - Jan. 6

  • AFC Sushi inside Dillons, 4747 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, 3025 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Arby’s, 4308 E. Harry in Wichita

  • Blue Line Brews, 505 W. Maple in Wichita

  • Braum’s Ice Cream & Dairy Store, 1261 S. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Burger King, 200 S. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Church’s Chicken, 4780 E. 13th St. in Wichita

  • Cicis Pizza, 8320 W. Central in Wichita

  • Dollar General Store, 2424 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • Dollar Tree, 1525 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • Egg Crate Cafe, 8606 W. 13th St., Suite 150 in Wichita

  • El Jalisco Restaurant, 615 E. 47th St. South in Wichita

  • Farmer Brothers, 427 S. Washington in Wichita

  • Firehouse Subs, 8007 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita

  • Hobby Lobby, 1712 N. Rock Road in Derby

  • Holiday Inn Express & Suites Wichita South, 4860 S. Laura in Wichita

  • Home2 Suites by Hilton Wichita Downtown Delano, 200 N. Sycamore in Wichita

  • Jersey Mike’s, 4521 E. 21st St., Suite 101 in Wichita

  • Jump Start, 12728 E. Central in Wichita

  • Long John Silver’s, 2090 W. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Lucky Market, 7100 E. Harry in Wichita

  • Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, 1715 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Pokemoto, 550 N. Webb, Suite E in Wichita

  • Pokemoto, 1636 N. Rock Road, Suite 400 in Derby

  • Premier Food Service, 8225 W. Irving in Wichita

  • Red’s Cafe, 1417 E. Grand in Haysville

  • Simple Life Sweets, 124 S. Meridian in Valley Center

  • Social Tap Drinkery, 4510 E. 19th St., Suite 101 in Wichita

  • Spiritual Life Center, 7100 E. 45th St. North in Bel Aire

  • Taco Bell, 8979 W. Central in Wichita

  • Thai Binh Supermarket, 1530 W. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Vora Restaurant European, 3252 E. Douglas, Suite 106 in Wichita

  • Walgreens, 1555 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • White Crow Cider Company, 1236 E. Waterman in Wichita

  • Wichita Northeast Magnet High School, 5550 N. Lycee in Bel Aire

  • Wing Stop, 2095 W. 21st St., Suite 100 in Wichita

Note: Sometimes addresses listed — especially for mobile vendors and food trucks — are not where food is actually served to the public. Contact those establishments directly for specific service locations.