Disgusting picture shows raw meat stacked up outside popular new restaurant during heat wave
A photo that spread widely on Reddit over the weekend sparked concern after showing several large rolls of raw hamburger meat sitting on a sidewalk outside a well-known burger restaurant in San Francisco during California’s recent heat wave.
The image appeared to show four large rolls of ground beef placed on the pavement next to a jar of mayonnaise outside the Mission District restaurant Hamburger Project while temperatures were high.
The restaurant later addressed the situation in an Instagram statement, explaining that the delivery driver left the order outside because the business was closed and no staff members were present to accept it. According to the restaurant, the driver could not access the building on Guerrero Street and decided to leave the delivery on the sidewalk rather than wait.
The restaurant emphasized that it would never approve of that type of delivery. Staff members said that when employees arrived and discovered the meat outside, they immediately threw it away because it had been left on the ground without proper refrigeration and was considered unsafe to use.
In another post, the restaurant shared a photo and a note that the delivery driver allegedly left behind to confirm the drop-off. The handwritten message reportedly said, “Hiiii, I don’t have time.”
The restaurant said it quickly disposed of the meat once it was discovered and thanked customers and community members who brought attention to the situation. It also said its delivery procedures have since been changed to prevent something similar from happening again.
Tan Truong, the owner of the Mission District location, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the restaurant had recently experienced a surge in demand and was running low on beef. When the driver arrived with the order and could not get inside the building, the delivery was left on the sidewalk.
Truong said he personally could not accept the delivery because he was traveling and on a flight back to San Francisco at the time.
He acknowledged that the photo of raw ground beef sitting outside created a bad impression but stressed that the restaurant has strict rules against using products that have been handled improperly. He said the business does not approve of deliveries being left outside like that.
The restaurant has previously faced controversy. Last year, chef Geoffrey Lee was removed from his day-to-day role at Hamburger Project after a dispute with a social media influencer over a review went viral. Lee remains a partner in the business.
The restaurant later posted a message from Lee responding to the recent photo of the meat left outside. In the statement, Lee said he also found the situation unacceptable and said it pointed to a breakdown in the delivery process that did not reflect his standards.
Lee clarified that he is no longer involved in the restaurant’s daily operations. He said partner Tan Truong removed him from those responsibilities and that he has since focused his work on the restaurant Ju-Ni, where he was asked to return because of his specialized skills.
Hamburger Project first opened on Divisadero Street in December 2024 and reportedly sold more than 1,000 burgers in its first two days, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. A second location on Guerrero Street opened in 2025.
The California Post said it has contacted the restaurant for additional comment.
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