Pest control for restaurants and food service

A pest sighting in a dining room can cost a restaurant its reputation in a single night. A pest hiding in a kitchen can do worse, because it spreads germs onto food and surfaces. We work with restaurants, cafes, caterers, bakeries and other food businesses across Ontario. Request a quote and we send details in under 30 minutes.

Why pest control matters for food premises

Ontario’s Food Premises Regulation requires food premises to be protected against pests and kept free of conditions that let pests harbour or breed. Toronto Public Health goes further and recommends that every premises keep a pest control plan, using integrated pest management and a licensed pest control operator.

In Toronto, the city’s DineSafe program inspects food establishments and posts the results. Findings are rated crucial, significant or minor, and the sign at the door shows a pass, conditional pass or closed. We cannot promise any inspection result. What we can do is deal with the pests and the conditions behind them, so they stop being a reason to be written up.

Which pests cause trouble in Ontario restaurants?

German cockroaches

These are the main kitchen pest. They love warmth, moisture and food, so they settle behind dishwashers, under prep tables and around hot equipment. They also arrive by hitchhiking in boxes and bags, so a spotless kitchen can still get them. Our cockroach control page explains how we deal with them, and the cockroach guide helps you identify them.

Mice and rats

Rodents come in through gaps around doors, pipes and loading areas, then go for dry goods and garbage. Droppings, gnawed packaging and greasy rub marks along walls are the usual clues. See our rodent control service, or read about mice and rats.

Flies, ants and stored-product pests

Flies breed in drains, garbage and spilled product, and are worst in summer. Ants follow sugar and grease trails. Pantry pests, such as beetles and moths, live in flour, grain, spices and other dry goods. Our ant control page covers the ant side.

How our process fits a kitchen

We follow the same four steps in every setting, described in our integrated pest management guide.

1. Inspect. We check the kitchen, storage, receiving area, bins and the outside of the building for activity and for what is letting pests in.
2. Identify. Each pest lives and feeds differently, so we confirm what you have before choosing a method.
3. Treat. We choose targeted methods suited to a food area, and we tell you what to cover, move or clean first.
4. Follow up. We return to check results and treat anything that is still active.

Timing matters in a working kitchen. We will talk through scheduling around your service hours when we book the visit.

What your team can do between visits

Treatment works much better when daily habits support it.

• Store dry goods off the floor in sealed containers.
• Clean under and behind equipment on a regular schedule, and wipe up grease and spills.
• Empty garbage and recycling often, and keep bins closed and away from the door.
• Fix leaks and dry out floors and drains.
• Seal gaps around pipes and door sweeps.
• Check deliveries for droppings, damage and live insects before storing them.
• Ask staff to tell a named lead about any sighting right away, and note where and when it was seen.

What to expect

Request a quote and tell us it is a food business. You get price details or a call-back in under 30 minutes. After you accept, a technician inspects, explains what was found and sets the plan. Our commercial pest control page covers how we work with businesses in general.

Get a free quote

Tell us about your restaurant and the pest you are seeing. Use our free quote form or give us a call.