OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — Taco Bell customers can no longer dine inside multiple Oakland locations. KRON4 visited two Taco Bell restaurants on Sunday and confirmed the dining rooms at two locations, 3535 35th Ave. and 630 Hegenberger Road, have been shut down.
KRON4 asked one Taco Bell employee in Oakland why the dining room is now closed. “It’s closed because some people sometimes make trouble,” he said.
One customer on foot appears to try and order from the Taco Bell drive-thru. That now seems to be the only way vehicle-less customers can place an order at these locations (See below.)
“We got a whole bunch of businesses bouncing because they’re not safe no more,” one longtime Oakland resident said in his car outside the Taco Bell. “It shouldn’t happen… the situation has got to change, period.”
Another Taco Bell customer says those who walk up to the drive-thru are turned down.
“It’s not cool for people to not be able to (go into the dining room) and only have to go through the drive-thru,” she said.
Oakland City Council Member Dan Kalb suspects the locations are being targeted by criminals and offered an explanation for why.
“It’s not so much that it’s near the airport as it is by the freeway. Business corridors that are near freeway on ramps are targets. Because they commit their crimes and jump on the freeway, and that’s why I want to see high-tech security cameras at freeway on ramps,” Kalb said.
The closures mark another major fast-food chain shutting down its indoor dining room in Oakland.
Last year, Raising Cane’s closed its dining room due to crime in the area. Customers can only order via drive-thru because of numerous robberies and car break-ins reported in the area, the fast-food chicken shop said.
In January, In-N-Out announced it would be closing its only Oakland restaurant. The popular burger chain cited “ongoing issues with crime” as the reason for the closure. March 24 is the last day the In-N-Out on Oakport Street will be open.
Oakland City Councilmember Noel Gallo said the city is facing an emergency and called for backup from the national guard along with other state and local agencies.
“We need to enforce the laws that we have. The laws that we have apply to me apply to you and apply to everyone else and we have to respect and have loyalty to the city and that’s where government today is not working together to provide safety for children and their families. That’s the bottom line,” Gallo said.
Taco Bell released a statement regarding the decision to close the Oakland dining rooms.
“Providing a safe environment for team members and customers is the priority at Taco Bell restaurants. The franchise owner and operator has informed us that they are consistently evaluating and working to ensure a safe environment by implementing procedures, such as closing dining rooms, and hiring security guards, and they have taken extra measures to meet with local law enforcement”.
Taco Bell Public Relations
There are two other Taco Bell locations in Oakland. It is unknown at this time if those locations have also closed their indoor dining rooms.
