Fly Problems at Rural Food Service Establishments

[Brian556]

On a recent road trip, I encountered fly problems at two rural food service establishments.

The first was a gas station that had a BBQ joint attached near Henrietta, Texas. They had a really bad fly problem. The flies were really bothering the customers. And, of course, flies landing on food is unsanitary. The thing that blew my mind was that all the employees were acting as if the flies were no big deal, and no effort was being made to eliminate them. It gave me the impression that the employees had low standards and were at least somewhat ignorant. Everybody I know would stop what they were doing and kill any fly that entered their building, or at least shoo it back outside.

Later that day, I stopped at the dairy queen in Childress, and they had flies too.

I never see any flies at food service establishment in North Texas where I live.

What is y'all's experience with this? Do rural food service establishments consistently have more issues with flies than urban ones? Is it because of all the livestock in rural areas, or could it be because the employees are not keeping their businesses clean?

[In_Correct]

I do not go to very many Restaurants. However, I remember one I drove by for many years, long enough to watch them move next door to a bigger space. A coffee place that was probably open in the mornings. The building was not a dineing place before that. I have not been in that area for very long time. When I checked on them, they seemed to have closed down, and a different restaurant that moved from a residential area took the building. And I think they changed their name ??

My point is that by that time in the building that is not supposed to be a Restaurant is now serving many different dishes and open all day. I read the reviews of peoples compaining about Flies, with Owner Response being apathetic about it. Many restaurants have Vestibules in an attempt to keep flies out. This building does not have any Vestibules.

A second example is a Hotel I used to regularly stay at. It is across the street from some very bizarre Livestock Yard where the probably abused animals continue to escape and crowd the streets. It very much smells bad in that area when exiting the Hotel, and Flies were every where in the Hotel also.

[Rothman]

I do not go to very many Restaurants. However, I remember one I drove by for many years, long enough to watch them move next door to a bigger space. A coffee place that was probably open in the mornings. The building was not a dineing place before that. I have not been in that area for very long time. When I checked on them, they seemed to have closed down, and a different restaurant that moved from a residential area took the building. And I think they changed their name ??

My point is that by that time in the building that is not supposed to be a Restaurant is now serving many different dishes and open all day. I read the reviews of peoples compaining about Flies, with Owner Response being apathetic about it. Many restaurants have Vestibules in an attempt to keep flies out. This building does not have any Vestibules.

A second example is a Hotel I used to regularly stay at. It is across the street from some very bizarre Livestock Yard where the probably abused animals continue to escape and crowd the streets. It very much smells bad in that area when exiting the Hotel, and Flies were every where in the Hotel also.

You sure you aren't an AI?

[GaryV]

I do not go to very many Restaurants. However, I remember one I drove by for many years, long enough to watch them move next door to a bigger space. A coffee place that was probably open in the mornings. The building was not a dineing place before that. I have not been in that area for very long time. When I checked on them, they seemed to have closed down, and a different restaurant that moved from a residential area took the building. And I think they changed their name ??

My point is that by that time in the building that is not supposed to be a Restaurant is now serving many different dishes and open all day. I read the reviews of peoples compaining about Flies, with Owner Response being apathetic about it. Many restaurants have Vestibules in an attempt to keep flies out. This building does not have any Vestibules.

A second example is a Hotel I used to regularly stay at. It is across the street from some very bizarre Livestock Yard where the probably abused animals continue to escape and crowd the streets. It very much smells bad in that area when exiting the Hotel, and Flies were every where in the Hotel also.

You sure you aren't an AI?

AI would capitalize properly.

[Road Hog]

The poster in question is a lot of things and at times informative and always entertaining. But AI has two components.

[Scott5114]

The employees at places like this are too busy to stop what they're doing to swat flies, as they have too many other things to do (when working the lobby at Burger King I was expected to run the register, put orders on trays, hand out orders to customers, wipe off the tables, collect and wipe off the used trays, empty the trash cans, restock the ice, wipe down the drink station, restock the condiments, mop the floors, and clean the bathrooms, all by myself). If the business is willing to invest some money, they could install some sort of passive mechanism like a fly light. But if they're cheap enough to not hire enough people that they can take time swatting flies, they're probably too cheap to buy a fly light, too.

[Rothman]

The poster in question is a lot of things and at times informative and always entertaining. But AI has two components.

I see what you did there.

[JoePCool14]

One of the things I always noticed about going to Wisconsin was the higher likelihood a restaurant would have a decent amount of flies inside. It's definitely annoying and a bit disgusting.

[wriddle082]

How rigorous are the health inspections, if any?

In most eastern states, the latest health inspection letter grade is posted in s prominent location where customers can readily see it.  Sometimes it's on the main entry door.

In Tennessee, it's usually a copy of the actual latest health inspection that's posted in a picture frame where customers can see it.

Sounds to me like the establishments many of you have brought up are located in jurisdictions where health inspections are not conducted on a regular basis, if at all.

[skluth]

How do you know those restaurants you frequent haven't chemicalized the bejesus out of the air and eating surfaces so you have no flies? A few flies are preferable to toxic chemicals in my food. I rarely see flies in restaurants in Palm Springs, but it's desert and we just don't have many insects. (Rats and pigeons are another story.) A few flies don't bother me especially when eating outdoors but I don't recall ever seeing so many flies in a restaurant that it felt unhygienic.