The opening of the Chick-fil-A in Mitchell Hall, initially set for Monday, is uncertain after plumbing and equipment issues caused the restaurant to fail its health inspection earlier this month.
The Chick-fil-A garnered five violations during a D.C. Department of Health pre-operational health inspection on Aug. 5. University spokesperson Julia Garbitt declined to comment on what specific steps officials are taking to remedy the issues or provide an updated timeline for the Chick-fil-A’s opening, which has faced several delays since officials initially projected its opening for Fall 2024.
“The University is working to resolve plumbing and building issues as quickly as possible, and once rectified, will be able to open the Chick-fil-A,” Garbitt said in an email.
The inspection found one priority violation, two priority foundation violations and two core violations, ranking from most serious to least. The violations are too serious to allow the restaurant to open and must be remedied and reinspected before the department permits the Chick-fil-A to open, per the health inspection report.
According to D.C. Health records the department has not yet reinspected the restaurant.
The department determined that the mop sink lacks a backflow preventer — a required piece of plumbing to prevent sewage backflow into the kitchen area. The report states that the Chick-fil-A must install a new plumbing system, which prevents the backflow of contaminants into the water supply system before it will be cleared to open.
The inspector issued priority foundation violations because two handwashing sinks lack hot water, and several handwashing sinks lack mixing valves. The inspection also found two issues with refrigerators at the eatery, with one holding its temperature at 81 degrees Fahrenheit and one with a malfunctioning thermometer.
The health inspector also cited the Chick-fil-A for other minor violations, like not having self-closing doors on entrances to bathrooms or sufficient handwashing signage at handwashing sinks, both of which are required by D.C. Health codes in commercial restaurants.
GW first announced plans to open a Chick-fil-A in Mitchell Hall in February 2024, and construction began that summer with a projected Fall 2024 opening, but the project hit several delays, pushing the opening date to this year.
University Spokesperson Claire Sabin told the Hatchet last month that construction at the Chick-fil-A was complete and that all dining locations — including the Chick-fil-A — would be open by Aug. 25. She said the location will accept dining dollars, and students enrolled in the All Access, Vern All Access and Revolutionary 85 plans will be able to use one meal swipe at the location per week.
D.C. Health conducts pass-fail inspections of eating establishments ahead of their opening and at random intervals after they open, with inspectors making the final determination on an establishment’s standing. Certain conditions — like a lack of hot water, plumbing issues or inadequate refrigeration — trigger an automatic closure under public health guidelines, according to D.C. Health’s website.
Associate Vice President of Business Services Seth Weinshel said at a Campus Plan Advisory Committee meeting in June that the fast food chain was slated to open in late July or early August, pending final inspections, before officials later revised their estimate of Chick-fil-A’s opening to ahead of the Fall 2025 semester due to construction delays.
Chick-fil-A previously operated inside the District House basement until August 2021, but officials said they planned to relocate the restaurant to the University Student Center. Weinshel said in June 2022 there were “mechanical challenges” with Chick-fil-A’s planned location within the student center.
The Chick-fil-A’s return to campus will end a more than three-year hiatus of the fast food chain’s presence at GW.
