Pest Problems

Restaurant Pest Control: Tips on Preventing Infestations

Fantastic Team
Published: Jul 13/2020
Last update: Mar 19/2025
5min read
Views: 342

Food pests… No matter if they are roaming in your kitchen pantry or restaurant, it’s never a good experience to spot even a single one on your property. Did you ever wonder what the most common pests in restaurants are and how to prevent an infestation? Fantastic Services has got the answer!

So, if you:

are a restaurant owner who wants to know how to prevent pest infestations;
run a takeaway and wish to know what insects and rodents to look out for;
a foodie who’s wondering what type of pests invade commercial kitchens and restaurants;

This article is just for you. Ready for some helpful pest prevention tips?

Table of Contents:

The 3 most common food pests in restaurants
How to keep your restaurant pest-free

What are the most common types of restaurant pests?

Generally speaking, there are 3 types of pests: things that fly, crawl and are hairy. Ok, there are a few exceptions, but you get the idea. Here are the top 3 most common pests in restaurant kitchens:

Flies

Having these little pests in a bar or restaurant can ruin its reputation. Food odours produced in commercial kitchens attract flies such as houseflies, fruit flies, and drain flies. As a result of their feeding and breeding habits, flies pose a huge food safety risk to restaurants. To prevent flies in a restaurant kitchen, sanitation is vital. There are plenty of food and warm conditions when flies multiply rapidly. Restaurants need to keep flies at bay.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are among the most common crawling insects infesting restaurants. These insects can hide in small spaces, reproduce rapidly, and carry diseases. Roaches may crawl on cutlery, dishes, grills, etc., causing them to be unsanitary. Infestations of cockroaches can spread quickly. There can be a lot of concern for restaurants regarding cockroaches.

Mice and rats

Mice and rats are common pests in restaurants and commercial kitchens. There is a risk of property damage caused by rats, as well as additional infestations of fleas, ticks, and mites. They can also spread diseases like Salmonellosis, which contaminates food and equipment. Mice are a significant concern for restaurants as they can damage electrical equipment and fixtures due to their nesting and gnawing habits. Implementing an effective pest management program in your restaurant is essential to control rodents. Maintaining and inspecting the building regularly is another effective method of controlling rodents.

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The list doesn’t stop here, of course, if you think about other food-flying pests and crawlies, such as pantry moths and their larvae, as well as an army of ants on a mission to reach your stored food supplies.

Ants always head for kitchens when they infiltrate homes, so it’s only logical for them to pop up at your restaurant sooner or later. By the way, if you happen to have them at your home, check out this post on how to get rid of ants in the kitchen.

So, let’s see what you can do to deter such health-hazard nuisance from ever occurring in your place of business that can put people at risk and compromise the reputation and image of your restaurant.

Restaurant pest control prevention tips

The key to having a pest-free restaurant is prevention. Here is what you can do to keep your venue safe from nasty intruders:

Store products properly. Make sure to keep packaged goods, such as flour, rice, pasta, etc., in air-tight containers to eliminate access to them.
Practise the “first in, first out” rule. This implies that you must first use the products you’ve bought and then the newer ones. It sounds very simple, but many kitchen workers grab what’s in front of them when cooking, which leads to forgotten, expired goods and, you guessed right – eventually to pest infestations.
Ventilate. Many types of pests, including roaches, love humid environments. A restaurant kitchen becomes the perfect breeding ground for gruesome insects if the place is not well-ventilated regularly.
Keep the kitchen clean. This means that wiping the countertop tomorrow is a big no-no. If something gets spilt or there are food crumbs, clean them as soon as possible; otherwise, you are basically leaving an open pest buffet.
Inspect food deliveries. When dealing with product delivery, always check cardboard boxes and packages for potential breakages and holes done by pest intruders, such as cockroaches and rodents. If you find even the smallest trace of a pest, contact the company you are working with ASAP.
Secure waste bins. Pests love to roam through waste bins, so ensuring that those with a tight lid will reduce the risk of vermin accessing bins’ contents. Also, ensure that you throw out the waste regularly.
Install splash guards. Buy splash guards and install them around sinks, dishwashers, and other areas that regularly come into contact with water. As we’ve mentioned earlier, pests like roaches and flies like humid and damp places, so eliminating moisture from these areas is always a good idea.
Clean and maintain the floor drains. A dirty drain can attract all types of pests, including flies, roaches, silverfish and rodents. Make sure to keep those clean and free of food debris.
Seal potential access points. Cracks, small holes, voids – if your pinky finger can fit in, you need to seal it.
Shut doors and windows. Many kitchen workers like to leave windows open due to the high temperature that the cooking appliances produce; however, they invite a bunch of flies over for lunch. If you can, keep doors and windows closed, and if that is not an option – invest in fly screens to keep flying pests away.

Dealing with a restaurant pest infestation?

There isn’t a business owner on this planet that fancies the idea of having a rat or roach family running through their kitchen. If you happen to be dealing with a nasty pest infestation in your restaurant, Fantastic Services is here to save the day!

We offer commercial pest control solutions to end your vermin problems quickly and discreetly. The pest exterminators we work with are highly qualified, certified, and equipped to tackle any pest infestation. We also offer regular pest control inspections, which is the best preventative solution out there, that’s for sure!

Give us a call and share what kind of nasty vermin has attacked your restaurant, and we will resolve the issue in the blink of an eye!

Learn about our pest control solutions by visiting our business services website!

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Takeaways

Most types of pests will attack a restaurant because of three main reasons – they have easy access to the property, can sink their teeth (figuratively speaking) into unprotected food, and last but not least – have discovered that your restaurant is the perfect shelter and breeding ground, of course.
To avoid a pest infestation, you must take the needed preventative measures. Better think ahead of time than find a rat munching on a piece of fancy cheese in your restaurant’s kitchen.
Dealing with existing pests in your restaurant must be your number one priority. If you find one, a DIY pest control solution just won’t cut it – call a professional ASAP!

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Did you find our article helpful? How do you prevent pests from your restaurant? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below!

Image source: PC Photography Cologne / Shutterstock.com