Rodents, sticky substances and E. coli risks: What health inspectors found at Boston Shake Shacks

Rodents, black flies and custard machine cleanliness are causing issues for Shake Shack’s Seaport location.

The location, which opened in 2016 as the 100th Shake Shack, failed its health inspection on Nov. 18, after health inspectors reported seeing rodent activity behind the heating system, custard machine and grease trap. They also saw “heavy food soils” on the outside of multiple plastic bulk item buckets.

Shake Shack did not respond to MassLive’s request for comment Thursday.

This is not the first time this Shake Shack location has had issues identified by the health inspectors.

Officials found rodent droppings in June and July.

In July and August, it was noted that inside the ice machine were pink and black spots on the ice chute. There were also small black flies in the back kitchen area and near the drain next to the dish machine.

During another visit those same months, health officials found the ice cream chest “heavily soiled with food and ice build up” and the freezer floors were “heavily soiled.”

And issues with the custard machine date back to 2022 and 2023.

On Nov. 3, 2023, officials said there had been “repeat violations pertaining to unsafe food and broken custard maker.”

“Custard machine is in use and is unable to be sanitized and is still in disrepair after being instructed not to use the unit on previous inspection,” the report continued.

In 2024, officials said they saw “a high level of black sticky substance inside the drip tray of the custard machine.”

At another Boston location, custard also had to be stopped after officials said there were unsafe levels of Coliform bacteria.

E. coli is one type of coliform bacteria that can have health effects.