Following a two-month closure prompted by reports of food poisoning, the Burger king restaurant in Lure, France, is set to reopen on November 25th. The reopening marks a significant shift in operation,as Burger King France has assumed direct control of the location from its previous autonomous operator,citing health and safety concerns. Authorities ordered the restaurant’s closure in September following an inspection that revealed unsanitary conditions,impacting dozens of patrons and prompting a swift response from local officials.
Burger King will reopen its restaurant in Lure, France, on November 25th, following a two-month closure prompted by food poisoning incidents. The fast-food chain has taken direct control of the franchise from an independent operator in response to the health and safety concerns.
A former manager of the Lure Burger King location expressed surprise at the administrative closure, stating, “There were places that weren’t especially clean, but not to the point of shutting down the restaurant.” The employee, who has since moved on to another position, maintained that the team worked well together and he would be willing to return if offered the opportunity. While the number of employees who will be rehired remains unknown, the November 25th reopening is confirmed.
Previously, Burger King France had entrusted the management of its brand in the region to an independent franchisee based in Belfort, who also oversaw locations in Vesoul, Langres, and Chaumont.
Burger King France operates 600 restaurants, with 180 independently owned franchises, and employs 30,000 people under the brand, serving approximately 700,000 customers daily.
This time, the company has “taken complete management of the Lure restaurant,” according to a company statement. In France, Burger King France is managed by the franchise division of Groupe Bertrand, which identifies itself as the “leading French restaurant franchisor.” Groupe Bertrand also manages restaurant chains such as Au Bureau and Hippopotamus.
The time between the closure and reopening was necessary to facilitate the transfer of operational management from a franchisee to direct company operation.
The company stated that the reopening on November 25th follows a thorough compliance process to ensure optimal food safety standards, in close collaboration with the local Departmental Directorate for Employment, Labor, Solidarity and Population (DDETSPP).
Burger King France emphasized that “quality, safety and hygiene are our top priority, and to maintain our level of requirement, we proactively conduct 7 unannounced audits per restaurant per year, with independent laboratories commissioned by our quality department.”
The DDETSPP confirmed that a control visit will take place prior to the reopening, as required by law. Earlier, the agency had stated, “The Burger King in Lure will reopen when sanitary conditions are met.”
On September 12th, firefighters in Haute-Saône responded to a call at the restaurant and provided medical assistance to approximately ten children and adults. No one required hospitalization.
Following the incident, inspectors from the consumer health protection service of the DDETSPP visited the location on September 15th to verify compliance with regulations. The Prefect of Haute-Saône immediately ordered the establishment to close due to non-compliance with sanitary standards.
The former manager, who left the establishment before the food poisoning incident, commented, “It was okay. You go to any fast-food restaurant, it’s like that.” He expressed surprise at the closure, stating he found nothing wrong with the food.
In a statement published on Facebook in September, the Prefecture disagreed, citing “the lack of hygiene in the premises, equipment, refrigerated units and foul odors in the food preparation areas,” accompanied by photographic evidence.
Two months later, state authorities have been more reserved in their comments. The Mayor of Lure, Eric Houley (PS), acknowledged the administrative closure, stating, “I imagine that the decision was not taken lightly.”
