Viral Video Prompts Police, Health Dept. ResponseA video that went viral Tuesday night showing a Bob Evans employee using a floor mop to clean a tabletop resulted in a visit from the Kosciusko County Health Department and Warsaw police.
“We got a call early this (Wednesday) morning from Warsaw police and they said they were investigating a cleaning crew that was in there the night before and they had posted a video on YouTube that showed them cleaning a table top with a floor mop,” Bob Weaver, KCHD administrator, said. “I was told that they said they had used it to clean the bathroom floors, but I can’t verify that.”
Weaver said to err on the side of caution, his inspectors immediately went to the restaurant at 3100 E. Center St., Warsaw, and shut it down.
When inspectors arrived around 8:30 a.m., customers were inside eating, but the table seen in the video was “not in use.” Those customers were allowed to finish their food, but the doors were locked, a sign was put up and once the customers left, it was time to clean.
“After everyone was out we ordered them to thoroughly sanitize every table, every seat, all the things on top of the table, condiment holders and the floor,” Weaver said. “So, basically, everything that was visible, they had to sanitize it, and an inspector stayed there the whole time.”
Weaver said it took about 2.5 hours and that Bob Evans management had called in extra employees to help. Weaver’s department allowed the restaurant to open back up around 11 a.m., he said.
“You have to take it at face value,” Weaver said of the report of what happened. “You have to protect public health. In a worst-case scenario, you just have to act as if everything you were told is true, and so that means closing it down and cleaning. And what was said came from the police, so we’ve gotta assume this is pretty credible.”
Warsaw Police Department Public Information Officer Det. Brad Kellar said Wednesday the situation is under investigation. As of Wednesday afternoon, no warrants had been issued for anyone’s arrest. Kellar also said that in a case such as this, charges would be misdemeanors.
A manager of the Bob Evans, who would only give her first name of Michelle, said she had no comment when asked about the incident and directed the Times-Union to call a Bob Evans corporate number. That number, however, was a marketing hotline and said it was unavailable.
Messages left for Bob Evans CEO Saed Mohseni and a Bob Evans senior vice president of restaurant operations were not immediately returned.
Golden Gate Capital, the parent company of Bob Evans, directed any questions to Bob Evans corporate.
