South Station Starbucks shut down due to rodent infestation
The Starbucks at South Station in Boston has been shut down due to a rodent infestation. The location had "multiple violations of the Massachusetts Sanitary Code and FDA Food Code," according to the Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD).
The ISD sent over an employee to inspect the location after receiving a video showing rodents eating food left out overnight in the display case. The Starbucks manager told the inspector that an employee had mistakenly left the food out and they had since thrown it all away.
Rodent droppings were also found throughout the coffee chain, including in a cabinet, and fruit flies were seen in the display case.
That Starbucks was ordered to close due to the "immediate health hazard." Its food permit was also temporarily suspended until another inspection can be completed and passed. The manager was told to retrain their staff on how to close properly, and the owner of the Starbucks location was instructed to hire a pest control company to address the "rodent infestation." The location will also need to be cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected.
A database from the City of Boston showing all past health inspections had no other violations listed for the location, except for an issue with a check in January 2025. The Starbucks was most recently inspected in December 2025 and passed.
CBS News Boston has reached out to Starbucks but has not heard back.
Starbucks closed over a dozen stores in Massachusetts last year, including the iconic "Golden Teapot" location. The company cited that the closings were due to "underperforming stores" across the country.
