:)

[terri01p]

 

[java]

We are in the tri state area- as long as the rats aren't eating at the table next to us I'll chance it generally.

94% sounds pretty good to me. But I have not heard of a Sanitation % before.

 

[terri01p]

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I dont' know where you live, but a google search of "sanitation ratings grade" gave this scale for SC. You could probably do your own search with your state, but they are probably about the same. 88-100% is an A.

http://www.scdhec.gov/health/envhlth/food_protection/scores.htm

 

[AshleyW]

94% is good. But, let me tell you, just because a restaurant got a 94% on inspection day doesn't mean it's clean. I've worked in kitchens who bust *** to clean and get their practices up to standard for two weeks leading up to inspection date, and then go right back to being pretty nasty after they get their good rating. On the flipside, just because they got dinged 6% doesn't mean they aren't clean. They may have gotten dinged for something as simple as not labeling something correctly or having a box of dry ingredients sitting on the floor, instead of on a shelf.

 

[terri01p]

 

[terri01p]

 

[laurie31]

The newspaper here will publish a list of restaurants with health department ratings that are 84 or below, plus the "really good" ones with ratings of 97 or better.

The number is usually written on the report itself, so just go up close and look to see why they got points deducted. If it was something simple, like something was in a box in the fridge that wasn't labeled (maybe a box of tartar sauce came in, they stuck it in the fridge, and didn't write on the outside what it was - as an example) that's not as big a deal to me as employees not washing their hands after using the restroom or handling money. Gross!

It could even be something like the floors weren't mopped recently enough (maybe a customer tracked in dirt right before the inspector showed up), or the bathroom wasn't clean. (things that don't necessarily mean the food isn't safe to eat). However, if it's stuff like "food not stored at proper temperatures," I'd be VERY wary. And it's usually buffets that get this one, though. It's really hard to keep the hot stuff hot enough, and the cold stuff cold enough.

 

[worm761]

I really wish they would tell why a restaurant has that rating. Back when I was running a restaurant, I had an inspector come in. They do surprise visits here. He looks at everything and will NOT leave until he finds something. It was so bad he resorted to taking the temperature of the lettuce on the prep line. Even that didn't get him anything. He was on his hands and knees crawling, looking for anything. My assistant walked into the kitchen and ate a cookie. BAM! I got marked for that and he was done! It is against health laws to eat in a food prep area. He will not give a 100% to anyone, no matter what. And it is a restaurant that was probably open and serving food so there is some mess that happens. 94% is really rather good.

 

[laurie31]

Oh goodness this is a whole other subject that is just to creepy to talk about...hehe

Our health department does surprise inspections. Let me just say....never eat the self-serve frozen yogurt/ice cream stuff.

On the other hand, I once saw a school cafeteria, whose manager prided herself on always scoring 100s, score a 94. Someone had let the ice scoop handle touch the ice in the ice machine (-1) and they were having a special desert for teacher appreciation that day. They had just made them and put them in the fridge, and were about to serve them. They had whipped cream on top, so they didn't want to cover them and mess it up. They were seriously JUST about to serve them. But it's a -5 for uncovered food in the fridge. So her 94 kitchen was still spotless and very safe to eat from.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

Here in TN, anything below 70 is failing, and anything about a 88 or so is really good. You can lose points for things not even food related, such as where cleaners and chemicals are scored. It is nearly impossible to score about a 95 or so.

I love that they show the failing restaraunts on the news around here, and why they failed. That right there has made many try harder.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Usually you can see the actual inspection report and see what they points off were for.


Anyone here live in the Houston area??? They used to do a restaurant inspection report on the local news with the findings and the guy who did it--I think he is deceased now?-- was just funny as heck! Our favorite was when he would say "SLIME IN THE ICE MACHINE!" . That was apparently a usual one and he would usually end each one with that. He would sort of scream the report. DH and I will turn to each other and say "Slime in the Ice Machine!"

 

[bicker]

Given how cheap some fast food places are -- really, how little they pay people -- I'm surprised that they are as clean as they are (which I grant is probably, in many cases, "not very").

 

[Angelhalo]

Here in NC 94% is very very good. They probably had points knocked off for something dumb. Been there, done that having worked in kitchens.

 

[Sparx]

its on a scale of 0-100, and anything about, oh say an 80? is pretty good.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I really wish they would tell why a restaurant has that rating. Back when I was running a restaurant, I had an inspector come in. They do surprise visits here. He looks at everything and will NOT leave until he finds something. It was so bad he resorted to taking the temperature of the lettuce on the prep line. Even that didn't get him anything. He was on his hands and knees crawling, looking for anything. My assistant walked into the kitchen and ate a cookie. BAM! I got marked for that and he was done! It is against health laws to eat in a food prep area. He will not give a 100% to anyone, no matter what. And it is a restaurant that was probably open and serving food so there is some mess that happens. 94% is really rather good.

If you are so inclined, I think you can visit the restaurant and ask for their report and read it.

I have been to some restaurants that posted their 100%. So I figure, if they post that, they must have the others somewhere that you can look at.