Philadelphia is known for its great food. But the Inside Edition investigative unit found some uninvited guests dining at some of Philly's most popular eateries. Lisa Guerrero reports.
The INSIDE EDITION Rat Patrol has returned and this time we've set our sights on Philadelphia, where we found a host of uninvited guests dining after hours in some of the cities most popular eateries.
Once darkness settles on the City of Brotherly Love the rats and mice come out to feast.
They scurry across alleyways, creep behind dumpsters, and peek out of holes. But the streets aren't the only place vermin call home.
While the city was sleeping the INSIDE EDITION Rat Patrol spotted disease-carrying vermin inside some of Philadelphia's most popular restaurants.
Ted's Montana Grill, an upscale eatery in Center City, is part of a national chain owned by media mogul Ted Turner. But at night we found the restaurant belongs to the rodents.
On four different nights, we found rodents running amok inside Ted's. And they weren't just dining in the kitchen.
We watched them crawling around the to-go boxes and cups, and darting in and out of the condiments.
Rat Patrol consulted Dr. Bruce Colvin, a world-renowned expert on rodents and how to control them.
"They have a full colony of mice living in this restaurant," says Colvin. "It has to be obvious to those running the restaurant that they have a mouse problem."
The next day we went back to Ted's and showed a manager our video. She was shocked by our findings and quickly left to call her supervisors and closed the blinds.
A representative for Ted's Montana Grill said they exterminate on a monthly basis and have thrown out all the perishable food and paper products. However, they said, "The recent discovery of a small amount of mice in our restaurant has us greatly concerned. We have taken immediate steps to address this matter, including a comprehensive on-site inspection and treatment."
And they weren't kidding. Just hours after we notified the manager about the problem, we saw Ted's employees scattering traps like landmines and workers cleaning away.
We found a similar mouse problem just down the street from Ted's at Mamma Mia Pizzeria. On multiple nights we saw critters cruising for crumbs in the dining room.
Mamma Mia's sent us a statement saying they exterminate routinely and sealed "every known opening in the restaurant structure with foam insulation to prevent mice from entering." They also pointed out that after our footage was shot, the Philadelphia Department of Health re-inspected and found no pest control violations.
Cosi is known for their signature flatbreads, but the location where they prepare them is also the exact same spot we saw rodents dining and dashing at their South 15th Street location.
"Do you guys realize you have a rodent problem in here?" INSIDE EDITION's Lisa Guerrero asked a manager of Cosi.
"If we do it's news to me," said the manager.
After taking a quick look at our video, the Cosi manager retreated inside and no one from Cosi has commented further. But Cosi customers we spoke to had plenty to say.
"Oh come on!!! Really?" exclaimed one customer.
"They have a rodent problem," said Lisa Guerrero.
"Oh my God!" she replied.
Later that same night the Rat Patrol returned to Cosi. But this time instead of mice, we found the exterminators.
Philly is famous for its cheesesteaks and one of the best-known places is Ishkabibble's, located on South Street. The neighborhood favorite gets rave reviews for their cheese fries, and apparently the rodents agree.
On multiple nights our flashlights caught hungry rodents sniffing for their share of leftover cheese.
"Are you aware that you have a rodent problem?" Lisa Guererro asked the manager of Ishkabibble's.
"As long as I've been here, ten years, I've never seen a rodent. I may see one outside, but I've never one inside," said the manager.
The owner of Ishkabibble's told INSIDE EDITION he has addressed the problem and exterminates regularly.
And in the heart of the city's historic district, we discovered another rodent without reservations at the popular Italian eatery LaScala's.
After taking one look at our video, general manager Anthony DePaul, went inside to think things over. Moments later he returned and said, "I can tell you we're taking preventative action. We're on top of it. You know it's center city, it's something very difficult to deal with, but we are on top of it."
So restaurants and rodents beware...your city may be the Rat Patrol's next stop.
Ted's Montana Grill also told us they cleaned and sanitized the restaurant and they threw out all the perishable food and paper products and the owner of Ishkabibbles said he has addressed the problem and exterminates regularly.
