Chipotle Shuts Down Dallas Location Where Mice Were Spotted

A Dallas-area Chipotle is temporarily closing its doors to investigate the source of a rodent problem. This comes in response to last month's allegations that mice had fallen from the store's ceilings. A customer used his phone to video the July 18 fiasco, showing at least three mice parading across the floor of the Mexican grill. The recording was later uploaded to a friend's Twitter account.

The Chipotle, located in the West End Historic District, officially shut down August 8 — three weeks after the incident. Management initially removed the mice and had repairmen patch a small structural gap believed to be the access point, according to the Dallas Morning News. But ultimately, they decided to close the restaurant to further assess the 100-year-old building's construction, Chipotle spokeswoman Quinn Kelsey told The Daily Meal.

"Employees have been given the option to relocate to nearby Chipotle locations while our teams are evaluating the building," Kelsey said in an email. "We regret any inconvenience and will reopen only when we are certain the building meets all Chipotle standards for operation."

This new setback adds to several other health-related incidents the company has faced over previous years — like the monumental E. coli outbreak of 2015 — ultimately leading to the current federal investigation over the chain's food safety practices. But it seems as if the rodent issue may in fact be an isolated incident, as the city shows the restaurant having scored a 91 out of 100 on a routine inspection less than a week before.

If you're skeptical about eating at your local Chipotle but are craving that style of food, here are 10 iconic Mexican dishes everyone should be able to make at home.