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The inspection report notes evidence of fruit flies, mouse droppings, and rodent activity, leading the department to deem an “imminent health hazard exists” at the Starbucks site.
Authorities have temporarily suspended the license of the Starbucks at South Station after a viral video surfaced showing multiple rodents inside the coffee shop.
Boston Inspectional Services conducted an evaluation of the Starbucks, located at 700 Atlantic Ave., after receiving a complaint regarding the video posted to social media Thursday. The video, which has garnered more than 228,000 views on TikTok, depicted rats scurrying along the Starbucks counter and feeding inside the display case.
The inspection revealed “multiple violations of the Massachusetts Sanitary Code and the FDA Food Code,” as well as “evidence of rodent activity,” which included droppings in the premises, the agency said in a statement.
The inspection report states that staff members “mistakenly left” food items out overnight on Wednesday. A manager at the cafe during Thursday’s inspection confirmed the event and verified the video footage, the report says.
The manager disposed of the items left out overnight, but Inspection Services ultimately concluded that an “imminent health hazard exists” at the shop, per the inspection report.
The report also notes evidence of fruit flies in the display case and mouse droppings found in one of the Starbucks’ dump sinks.
Following the investigation, the food permit for the South Station coffee shop was temporarily suspended by Inspectional Services, and the operator was directed to halt food operations until a compliance inspection by the Health Division verifies that all violations are resolved.
“A follow-up inspection is required before the food permit can be reinstated and operations may resume,” Inspectional Services noted.
In a statement to Boston.com, a spokesperson for Starbucks said, “While this is a location operated by a third party, we expect all of our locations to provide the customer experience that Starbucks has come to be known for.”
“We’ve been in touch with the licensee and understand that the location will be closed for a short period while they address the issue,” the Starbucks spokesperson added.
Under the terms of the suspension, the operator of the South Station Starbucks must clean, sanitize, and disinfect the facility and its equipment. They are also required to hire a licensed pest control company to eradicate the rodent infestation, discard any food products that may have been contaminated, and address all other sanitary and food code violations identified during the inspection, the agency said.
An online database run by Inspectional Services shows that the Starbucks site currently holds a letter “A” rating from a December 2025 inspection, which resulted in a pass with zero violations.
The location also underwent an inspection in January 2025, which mandated a re-inspection after the health permit fee was paid with a check from a “frozen or blocked account.” The re-inspection, which took place later that month, resulted in a pass with no violations.
The earliest recorded inspection dates back to December 2024, when the store passed without any violations.
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