SF Gas Station Food Market Closed for Ice Machine Breakdown

A gas station food market in San Francisco's Excelsior district has been forced to close its doors after health inspectors discovered critical equipment failures that posed serious risks to food safety and customer health. Quality Gas Fr Yr Cash Arco Am/pm, located at 5898 Mission Street near Balboa Park BART, failed its follow-up inspection on August 13, 2025, when health inspector Roy Bwogi found multiple violations that forced an immediate closure of the food service operation.

Critical Equipment Failures Discovered

The most serious violation uncovered during this inspection was a completely non-functional ice machine, leaving the establishment without proper refrigeration capabilities for beverages and food items requiring ice for temperature control. The person in charge admitted to inspectors that a work order had been placed to repair the unit, but the facility continued operating with broken equipment that could not maintain safe temperatures for perishable items. This equipment failure represents a significant health hazard as ice machines are critical for maintaining the cold chain in food service operations. Without functioning ice equipment, beverages and food items requiring refrigeration could reach dangerous temperatures where harmful bacteria like salmonella and E. coli can rapidly multiply, potentially causing severe foodborne illness in customers. Inspector Roy Bwogi also discovered broken and loose floor tiles underneath the three-compartment sink, creating perfect conditions for bacteria and pest harborage. These damaged surfaces cannot be properly cleaned and sanitized, allowing contamination to build up in areas where food preparation equipment is cleaned and sanitized.

Health Implications for Customers

The combination of equipment failures and structural damage created multiple pathways for contamination at this restaurant operation. Customers purchasing food and beverages from this location faced exposure to potentially dangerous bacteria and contaminants that could cause serious gastrointestinal illness. The non-functional ice machine particularly endangered customers who purchased beverages expecting them to be served at safe, cold temperatures. Without proper ice, drinks and food items requiring refrigeration could have been served at temperatures that allow rapid bacterial growth, creating immediate health risks. The damaged flooring underneath critical cleaning equipment meant that even when staff attempted to sanitize food preparation tools, they were doing so in an environment where contamination was literally built into the infrastructure.

Facility Closure and Next Steps

The San Francisco Department of Public Health ordered the immediate closure of the food service operation following the failed inspection. The facility cannot reopen until all violations are corrected and the establishment passes a reinspection to verify that proper food safety standards have been restored. This represents the first recorded health inspection for this establishment in available records, making it unclear whether these were new problems or longstanding issues that had gone unaddressed. The facility will need to repair both the ice machine and the damaged flooring before health officials will consider allowing them to resume food service operations. The closure affects residents and commuters in the Excelsior neighborhood who relied on this location for convenient food and beverage purchases, particularly those using nearby public transit options. The facility remains closed pending completion of required repairs and successful reinspection.