Rats, Roaches & Rot: Worker Rights and the Path to Safer Food in California’s Fast Food Restaurants
A new report released from the Consumer Federation of America and the California Fast Food Workers Union, Rats, Roaches & Rot: Worker Rights and the Path to Safer Food in California’s Fast Food Restaurants, shows nearly half of surveyed fast-food workers (47 percent) witnessed at least one serious food safety problem at their job in the past year. The report recommends stronger public health enforcement and comprehensive, independent “Know Your Rights” trainings to empower workers to protect themselves and the public from foodborne illness and other health hazards.
Researchers surveyed 338 workers representing more than 200 fast-food locations and 34 brands across 67 cities in California. Workers answered the survey in July 2025 about hazards experienced in the past year, including rodent and insect infestations, sewage floods, and improper food handling practices.
The report finds that among surveyed workers:
- 60 percent reported they or a coworker have worked sick with symptoms of a communicable illness, including vomiting, diarrhea or fever, with nearly all of those workers saying they did so because they were pressured by their managers to come to work sick, worried about retaliation or other extenuating circumstances.
- 53 percent of those who reported problems with pests, sewage or sanitation said management did not address the issue in a timely manner.
- 37 percent of workers who spoke up about food safety issues on the job said they experienced retaliation from management for doing so.
- 29 percent have seen sewage or sewer water flooding while the store was open and serving food.
- 24 percent have seen rats, mice, cockroaches or evidence of a vermin infestation such as rodent droppings, and/or bites on food or food packaging in the store.
- 24 percent said workers lacked access to a working toilet, lacked access to warm water for handwashing and/or were not given enough time to wash their hands properly.