Salmonella outbreak associated with IHOP in Bellevue

Summary, updated June 13, 2025

Public Health investigated a Salmonella outbreak associated with IHOP Bellevue. The Salmonella bacteria was brought into this IHOP by Salmonella-contaminated diced onions that made people sick across the United States in 2023. The contaminated onions were recalled and thrown away in October 2023 at this IHOP.

People continued to get sick from the same type of Salmonella until June 2024, suggesting that the bacteria was still present in the restaurant at that time despite multiple closures, deep cleanings, and throwing away potentially contaminated food and equipment. Salmonella can survive on surfaces like walls and counter tops for a long time.

This outbreak appears to be over, and our investigation is complete. IHOP Bellevue staff and management have cooperated throughout the investigation to help stop this outbreak.

Illnesses

Between late 2023 and summer 2024, we found 33 people who became sick with the same type of Salmonella. Of these 33 people, 23 became sick after eating at this IHOP (including one restaurant worker who ate there), while the connection for the other 10 people was unclear. The sick people ranged in age from 1 to 78 years old.

Public Health actions

January 2024: Three Salmonella cases were linked to the contaminated diced onions, and the sick people reported eating at this restaurant. We visited the restaurant and found all recalled onions had been removed in October 2023 and saw no other food safety concerns. IHOP conducted deep cleaning and provided food safety training for their workers.

March–April 2024: We reopened our investigation because another person got sick after eating at this IHOP. Restaurant surface testing identified Salmonella which led to the restaurant closing on April 10, 2024, for deep cleaning and disinfection. The restaurant reopened on April 12, 2024, after we confirmed a thorough cleaning was done.

Surfaces in the restaurant tested negative for Salmonella after reopening but these results were not definitive because only small areas of the restaurant can be tested at any one time.

May–July 2024: More illnesses prompted additional closures, multiple deeper cleanings, surface and equipment refurbishing (to make them easier to clean), and mandatory quarterly environmental testing until this outbreak was over.

The restaurant closed on May 24, 2024, reopening on June 7. A final outbreak-related closure occurred on June 27, with reopening on July 6, 2024.

Voluntary testing of all the restaurant workers during this period, found one worker who tested positive for Salmonella but had no signs of being sick. The worker was then required to test negative twice for Salmonella before returning to work. IHOP put in place additional measures to make sure sick workers were not allowed to work while sick.

October 2024: We found out about one person who became sick after eating food from the restaurant before the June 27, 2024, closure, but no new Salmonella cases have been found since.

Laboratory testing

Most sick people were confirmed to have the same type of Salmonella (Salmonella Thompson), using DNA fingerprinting (whole genome sequencing or WGS).

Testing on April 2, 2024, found the same type of Salmonella on restaurant surfaces, confirming ongoing contamination at that time.