NYC Taco Bell Infested With Rats

A Greenwich Village KFC/Taco Bell was closed on Friday due to hundreds of rats infesting the restaurant.

"This is completely unacceptable and is an absolute violation of our high standards," KFC and Taco Bell said in a statement. "This restaurant has been closed and we are addressing the issue with the franchise owner. We will not allow this store to reopen until it is completely resanitized and given a clean bill of health."

Yum Brands, Inc., based in Kentucky, owns Taco Bell and KFC chains.

The restaurant was cleared by the Department of Health in December, but was given a violation due to "evidence of rats," which means only rat droppings.

This is a second offense for Taco Bell, who had a widely publicized E. coli scare, causing many customers to become ill. It was reported last week that sales slumped due to the scare and had to rely on international sales in the fourth quarter.