Popular Douglas County restaurant fails inspection with multiple violations, including live roaches

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LITHIA SPRINGS, Ga. — A popular Douglas County restaurant failed its health inspection for violations including live roaches.

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The Applebee’s Grill and Bar sits next to the Pointe at Lithia Springs Shopping Center on Thornton Road. 

On Dec. 12, an inspector gave the restaurant a 66, or a failing grade, after finding numerous violations including an accumulation of food debris above a flat grill, mold on the ice machine, food not in proper cold holding temperatures and “numerous live roaches in unused ice cream bin.”

Channel 2 investigative reporter Sophia Choi went to the restaurant that started serving customers in 1980. 

Workers greeted her at the door, saying “she couldn’t come in” despite the restaurant being open to customers.

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Customer Joe “G.” told Choi he was surprised by the failing inspection score. “The food was good actually. Fresh.”

The Lithia Springs Applebee’s faced similar violations during a previous inspection in October, when an inspector also noted “numerous live roaches in unused ice cream bin.”

The restaurant got a 77 during that Oct. 5 inspection, or a “C.”

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Choi reached out to Applebee’s corporate offices for a statement and possible fixes to the issues, but no one emailed or called back.

The health department reinspects failing restaurants within 10 days.

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