Food Safety Program: Restaurant Safety Scores

Find a Score

The Environmental Health Section maintains a publicly accsesible database with the results of food facilty inspections. To search the online inspection database, click here. The information is updated weekly.

How the Restaurant Scoring System Works

In order to implement the food safety ordinance, the Health Department has developed an inspection report and inspection scoring system. After conducting an inspection of a food facility, the Health Inspector will calculate a score based on the violations observed. For more information on food safety scores and interpretation of the scores, see the table below. Violations can fall into three categories:

• High Risk: Violations that directly relate to the transmission of food borne illnesses, the adulteration of food products and the contamination of food-contact surfaces.
• Moderate Risk: Violations that are of a moderate risk to the public health and safety.
• Low Risk: Violations that are low risk or have no immediate risk to the public health and safety.

Food Safety Score Categories and Interpretation

Score	Operating Condition Category	Inspection Findings
>90	Good	Typically, only lower-risk health and safety violations observed May have high-risk violations
86-90	Adequate	Several violations observed May have high-risk violations
71-85	Needs Improvement	Multiple violations observed Typically, several high-risk violations
Less than or equal to 70	Poor	Multiple violations observed Typically, several high-risk violations

Most cases of high risk violations require re-inspections to ensure that conditions are improved.

Food establishments are required to post the inspection report in a clearly visible place to the general public and patrons of the establishment. The Department’s policy is to post the inspection report so that the public does not have to ask to see the report.

What is the"Symbol of Excellence?"

The Symbol of Excellence recognizes food preparation and service establishments that exemplify high standards of food safety. Food establishments that prepare and serve foods are required to post their current food safety inspection report on the premises so as to be clearly visible to patrons of the establishment.

The Symbol of Excellence is issued only to a food preparation and service establishment and will include a food preparation and service establishment operating in conjunction with a food product and marketing establishment. The Symbol is not issued to a catering facility, a temporary facility, food demonstrations, commissary, and vending machines.

The Symbol of Excellence is only issued to establishments that receive three successive scores of ninety (90) percent or higher with no major violations as set forth in the food inspection report.