Yosemite contractor slammed for failings, like rodents at Ahwahnee bar
This article was originally published by the San Francisco Chronicle.
On multiple occasions documented last year, the bar at the prestigious Ahwahnee Hotel had to be shut down because of rodents. At another time, faulty kitchen equipment was implicated in the spread of foodborne illness at the park’s food court, Base Camp Eatery. In another incident, an employee was injured at Yosemite Valley Lodge after tripping on stairs that had been tagged for fixing. On several occasions, the Curry Village Store was ransacked by squirrels and raccoons.
Aramark, which operates as Yosemite Hospitality at the park, was given a rating of “unsatisfactory” in the 2024 review. It’s the lowest mark the company has received in nine mostly unfavorable evaluations since being awarded Yosemite’s multibillion-dollar concessions contract nearly a decade ago. A recent change in how the reviews are done ensured that poor performance would result in an unsatisfactory rating.
The score, according to the review, is grounds for the park to terminate the contract with Aramark. Yet, as problematic as the company has been, Aramark is unlikely to lose the job. Prior evaluations found similar faults that justified termination, and still little has changed.
