IMMEDIATE TRIAGE (Next 2 hours) Action 1 — Call a licensed pest control company right now and book an emergency inspection for today, not tomorrow. You need a dated report in your hands before you post anything publicly. This report becomes your evidence of action. Action 2 — Temporarily pause all social media posting from your business accounts. Do not delete the original video or any comments — this will be seen as a cover-up and will make the situation significantly worse. Action 3 — Call your three location managers on one group call. Tell them: "We are handling this professionally. Do not speak to media or post anything personal. Direct all questions to me." Unified silence from staff is protection, not weakness. WHAT NOT TO DO Do not attack or discredit the blogger, even if the video is misleading or taken out of context. Engaging aggressively will generate 10x more coverage and make you look guilty. Do not post a generic "we take cleanliness seriously" statement without specific, verifiable action attached. Vague statements are disbelieved by default during a crisis. Do not delete negative comments or reviews. This is consistently the single action that turns a manageable crisis into a viral one. Do not wait 48 hours to respond publicly. Silence reads as guilt. You have a 6-hour window before the narrative solidifies without you in it. Do not over-apologize or use language like "we are devastated" — it signals panic, not competence, and can imply legal liability. PUBLIC STATEMENT SCRIPT "We became aware of the video shared yesterday and took immediate action. Within hours, we brought in a certified pest control service for a full inspection across all three locations — we will share their findings publicly this week. We hold our kitchens to a standard we're proud of, and any gap in that standard is unacceptable to us. We are reviewing our protocols today and will implement any recommended measures immediately. We know trust is earned, not claimed. We'd rather show you what we're doing than just tell you. Updates to follow." INTERNAL COMMUNICATION SCRIPT "Team — I know you've seen the video circulating. I want you to hear from me directly: we are handling this head-on, professionally, and transparently. Please do not comment publicly or discuss this with customers — direct any questions to me personally. Keep doing what you do every day. I'm proud of this team, and we'll get through this together. More updates from me by end of day." 30-DAY RECOVERY ROADMAP Week 1 — Contain the damage. Publish the pest control report publicly on all platforms with a factual summary of findings and actions taken. Personally respond to every 1-star review posted in the last 48 hours — calmly, specifically, and without defensiveness. Week 2 — Rebuild trust with existing customers. Email your loyalty database directly: acknowledge what happened, share the report, and offer a personal invitation to visit and see the kitchen standards firsthand. Ask 10 long-term regulars privately if they'd be willing to share an honest updated review after visiting. Week 3 — Reintroduce the business positively. Post a behind-the-scenes kitchen transparency video — show the clean prep areas, introduce your kitchen team by name, show the signed pest control clearance certificate on the wall. Partner with a local food critic or trusted community figure for a public visit. Week 4 — Measure recovery and adjust. Track Google rating weekly. Target: back to 4.2+ by Day 30. Run a short customer survey to your email list: "How are we doing?" Use the responses to identify any remaining concerns before they become public. PROGNOSIS: 6/10 — Serious but recoverable. Hygiene incidents are among the most emotionally charged crises for food businesses, but businesses that respond with speed, transparency, and verifiable action typically recover within 60–90 days.