The fast food giant was ordered to pay £475,000 plus £22,000 in costs at Thames Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to three charges of hygiene breaches.
Environmental Health officers from Waltham Forest Council visited the restaurant on High Road, Leytonstone, on 15 October 2021, after a customer complained they had found droppings in their 24-hour drive-thru order.
The customer was half-way through eating their cheeseburger when they noticed what they thought was a mouse dropping on the inside of the wrapper.
On receipt of the complaint, Environmental Health officers visited the restaurant and found conditions at the premises which presented a real risk to the health of customers using restaurant.
Amongst the officer findings were the decomposing remains of a mouse and numerous mouse droppings throughout the premises.
The officers determined the premises was so unhygienic that it posed an ‘imminent risk to health’ and ordered the restaurant be immediately closed with customers asked to leave.
Following the closure, the store remained closed for 10 days, at which point the council’s officers were satisfied that all the issues identified had been resolved and the premises allowed to reopen.
Cllr Khevyn Limbajee, Waltham Forest Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “We are grateful for the quick thinking of the customer in this case for reporting the matter to the Council for investigation.
“McDonald’s is a large and well experienced food business operator in the fast-food sector who serves thousands of meals per week to its customers, therefore the risk presented at the Leytonstone store was significant.”
McDonald's apologised unreservedly for the incident and any upset caused.
“We are committed to the highest standards of health, safety, quality and hygiene and in this instance we fell short of the standards we set ourselves across all our restaurants,” a spokesperson said.
“We have worked closely with our Primary Authority, London Borough of Barnet, for many years on our food safety processes and controls, and whilst we have extensive food safety systems in place, unfortunately these were not adequately implemented at this restaurant on this occasion.
“Following the incident, a full review of policy and procedures was undertaken at both a local and national level to ensure an issue of this nature does not occur again.”