TARPON SPRINGS, FL -- You may love the free roasted peanuts and throwing the shells on the floor as you eat them.
But Richard and Cheri Hill have come to Cody's Original Roadhouse on US 19 in Tarpon Springs to celebrate a very special occasion.
So they were shocked when they were told about the restaurant's latest run-in with state inspectors.
"They had over 100 rodent droppings a few weeks ago and they were shut down," said ABC Action News Anchor Wendy Ryan.
"Oh my God. That's terrible. No I did not know that," said Cheri.
"How does that make you feel?" asked Ryan.
"It makes me feel sick. Not really happy that we chose this place for our 25th anniversary," answered Cheri.
Just a couple weeks ago, inspectors made Cody's close their doors and clean up after finding 111 rodent droppings inside and along side the booths in the dining area, on shelves and floors in the storage area by the bar, near the dish washing area, and in the cold prep area.
They also found ceiling tiles missing which is how rodents can get into the kitchen.
The manager on duty did not want to speak with us but did mention he knew nothing about the restaurant closure a few weeks ago.
"Are you the manager on duty?" asked Ryan.
"Yes," answered the Cody's manager.
"Were you aware that the restaurant was shut down a couple weeks ago for a rodent infestation?" asked Ryan.
"No and any questions that you have you can go to the corporate office and speak to our owner," Cody's manager said.
Cody's accumulated 28 critical violations during four inspections since May of 2008, issues which include a stop sale of food in the cooler because a couple gallons of soup and some key lime pie were at dangerously warm temperatures of 50 degrees.
According to the florida food code, all cold food should be kept at 41 degrees or below.
During that same visit, inspectors also found slime inside the Budweiser beer taps and margarine stored on the floor.
"Any questions you need you can go to the corporate office. I'm busy right now," the Cody's manager said.
During our visit, we noticed other violations inspectors may write up that could possibly attract rodents including an old bakery rack and old oven stored outside and weeds over grown all over the property.
But these Cody's customers are finding their latest violations just too hard to swallow.
"We used to come here all the time and stopped coming because the food quality went down. And now, I'll never come back, I will guarantee you that," said Cheri.
