A Panda Express in Wisconsin is under fire after a stomach-turning viral video appeared to show an employee standing on top of a fryer while food was still being prepared just inches away.
The clip, posted to TikTok on July 2 by Paul Finger, has exploded online with more than 1.2 million views and triggered a wave of questions about what was happening inside the West Milwaukee restaurant.
In the video, an employee can be seen standing on the fryer while spraying cleaning solution toward an exhaust hood above the cooking area.
@the5fingers @Panda Express #frp#wtf#look#crocs ♬ original sound – Tyra
But what really shocked viewers was what happened at the same time.
Another worker appeared to reach between the employee’s legs and lower a bowl of food into one of the fryer baskets as the cleaning continued.
The bizarre scene immediately set off alarm bells online.
Commenters questioned why such heavy cleaning was being done during operating hours, while others raised concerns about cleaning chemicals potentially being sprayed near food.
The worker’s shoes also became a major point of criticism after viewers noticed they were standing directly on the fryer.
Panda Express has now responded, saying the behavior caught on camera did not meet the company’s standards.
“The behavior shown is inconsistent with our food safety and workplace standards,” a company spokesperson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The spokesperson said Panda Express took “corrective action,” retrained employees and reinforced proper food safety procedures both at the restaurant and throughout the surrounding region.
“The safety of our guests and associates remains our top priority,” the company said.
The incident reportedly happened at the Panda Express on Miller Park Way, south of National Avenue in West Milwaukee.
Local health officials also became involved after learning about the viral video on Aug. 26.
Kevin Smith, an environmentalist supervisor with the Southwest Suburban Health Department, said officials quickly investigated and that Panda Express cooperated with the review.
“We were able to investigate what took place, and help ensure that it does not happen again,” Smith said.
Fortunately, officials said they have not received any reports of customers becoming sick or suffering health problems connected to the incident.
Smith also issued a warning to the public about relying solely on social media when witnessing possible food safety violations.
He said health departments are increasingly finding out about troubling incidents through viral posts or news coverage instead of receiving direct complaints.
Officials are urging customers who witness questionable food handling or sanitation practices to contact local health authorities directly so investigators can respond as quickly as possible.
While Panda Express says corrective steps have now been taken, the eye-popping footage continues to spread online — and for many viewers, seeing an employee standing on a fryer while another worker prepares food underneath was more than enough to kill their appetite.
Discover more from Next Gen News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.