ORDER THE RATATOUILLE?

New York City’s Arrogant Rats Keep Attacking Diners Who’ve Been Forced Outside by Pandemic

An Italian restaurateur called on the city to carry out a monthly extermination.

New Yorkers are rapidly discovering why European-style outdoor dining isn’t really a thing there. According to a report from NBC New York, diners who have been forced outside by pandemic restrictions keep getting attacked by the city’s greedy rats. Giacomo Romano, who owns an Italian restaurant in SoHo, told the network: “We have this big restriction of only outdoor seating... Last night, a customer had a baby rat running on his shoe and I let you just imagine his reaction.” Romano said he’s written to city leaders begging them to do something about the rodents if his customers are going to be eating outside for the foreseeable future. “If they know every month they need an extermination—do it,” said the restaurateur. NBC New York asked the city if it plans to do anything to tackle the rats, but reports that it has, so far, heard nothing back.