Cairo Governor Galal El-Saied has ordered the closure of five popular fast food restaurants in Maadi due to concerns over public safety standards, according to a press statement released on Monday.
El-Saied said McDonalds, The Bakery, Mo’men, Gad and Al Madina Al Monawara on Nasr Street have all received complaints from residents about hygienic, environmental and engineering violations that affect the buildings’ safety.
“[This] could expose people to danger, especially with the frequent fires at Gad due to incorrectly applying or failing to apply public safety standards,” he said.
El-Saied has also decided to cut off electricity and water at these restaurants until closer notification.
The statements also stressed sewage issues in some of these restaurants which has led to erosion of the construction steel and cement of the building.
El-Saied also claimed some of the restaurants have allowed their sewage pipes to drain into the garage of their shared building, which not only causes health concerns but causes a terrible stench in the building and attracts vermin.
The restaurants also have been using the private garage to store their cooking materials, cooking oil, changing room for staff and as a mechanic shop to maintain the home-delivery motorcycles.
He also pointed that the McDonald’s has constructed outdoor stairs on the street that violate architectural standards, though customers use the inside stairs of the building.
El-Saied also emphasized that according to reports the chimneys and the air conditioners used by these restaurants are environmentally harmful.
The governor also cited that the accumulation of oil and greases in front of the building is not proper aesthetically.
Though the governor's decision was released on Monday, Egypt Independent found that all the restaurants are still operating normally.
“Closure?! We haven't received anything and we are working normally,” responded a worker from The Bakery to our inquiry.
One of the employees of The Bakery, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Egypt Independent that he received a statement via email from the governorate’s PR staff, but has not yet received an official notice to suspend the branch’s operation.
