Rats run rampant at Ontario university Tim Hortons
A Tim Hortons located on a university campus has found itself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after a viral video that showed rats emerging from the kitchen ceiling.
A TikTok account named @ratswaterloo posted a video of the incident on September 20. In the 58-second video, a rat can be seen poking its nose out from the ceiling above a kitchen counter at what appears to be a Tim Hortons located at the University of Waterloo's Student Life Centre.
It remains in that position for a few seconds, likely assessing the situation and checking if the coast is clear. It disappears for a moment only to reappear again, deciding it's safe to come out.
The rat then gingerly runs down a steel pipe along the wall and is quickly followed by a second rat.
"This is what our tuition gets us???" reads the video caption. "Rat family living nice at SLC Tim Hortons."
@ratswaterloo this is what our tuition gets us??? @University of Waterloo @Tim Hortons #uwaterloo #timhortons #timhortonscanada ♬ fukumean - Gunna
"I love Ratatouille!" wrote one commenter, referring to the 2007 animated movie about a rat who dreams of becoming a chef.
"I just want my iced capps, damn 😭," stated another viewer.
According to Tim Hortons, the restaurant has closed.
"On behalf of the restaurant's operators, we apologize to guests for the unacceptable condition of the restaurant, and we will not allow it to re-open until we are assured that all our strict standards have been met," they stated in an email.
The company stated that they have strict operating standards to ensure guests "have an amazing experience every time they visit."
They added, "We were incredibly disappointed to see the video that was shared online and immediately took action to close the restaurant and engage pest control experts. This restaurant is located in a University of Waterloo building along with other restaurants and [is] operated by the University of Waterloo Food Services. We are in contact with the team there to understand why this incident occurred and what actions will be taken to ensure nothing similar ever happens again."
Rebecca Elming, director of media relations at the university, said that the incident could be due to recent construction at the Student Life Centre.
"The University is committed to providing a safe, clean environment for purchasing and consuming food on campus," stated Elming in an email, adding that the university immediately contacted Tim Hortons and Food Services, then shut down the location and contacted pest control.
"Food Services operates many eateries across campus, which are regularly inspected by both internal and Region of Waterloo Public Health teams to ensure they meet or exceed hygiene standards."
Until the issue is resolved, the location will remain closed.
"We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause," said Elming.
It's not the first time a rodent has been spotted at a Tim Hortons.
In July, another TikTok user shared a video of a mouse making its way inside a container on a counter at a Tim Hortons in Napanee, Ontario.
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