"B" Rated Restaurants...

[Cerise]

In my neck of the woods, restaurants receive a rating ("A" being the best), that must be displayed in the window.

There are 3 Chinese restaurants I have frequented over the years, & have noticed a "B" rating in the window. I have asked about the rating, but mostly I get a vague answer, i.e. "Didn't clean up" or "Not enough money to pay the Health Inspector." Not really clear on the answers.

One of my favorite Chinese restaurants has been around for over a decade. Lately I have noticed the noodles are gummy/sticky, & had to toss them out.

My question is, would you eat in a restaurant with a "B" rating?

[FrankZ]

It would depend on what the criteria is. Where I used to live it was so easy to get an A that it had to be pretty bad to get a B or C.

[Oldvine]

Where I live? Probably not, but it depends. A "B" rating would mean that the health department found something and warned the restaurant that they needed to correct it. It might not be as bad as a dead rat under the stove, but maybe uncovered ingredients in the kitchen. I've never heard that the inspectors get paid off in this area.
Last year a local bakery was given a temporary "B" rating because the inspector found an open bag of flour next to the mixer while a batch of cookies were being made.

[Greg Who Cooks]

These ratings are based upon health code requirements and violations of same. They have nothing to do with the quality of cooking or with how delicious or well prepared the food is.

IIRC "A" = meets all the most stringent health code, cleanliness and food handling requirements, "C" = if they did any worse we'd shut them down, but they skated by this time. ("B" is of course middling.)

It would be interesting to ask for a kitchen tour. I've never asked that.


p.s. I am discussing these ratings in Los Angeles. Of course these ratings could vary widely throughout US.

[PrincessFiona60]

I've never lived anywhere they gave ratings that had to be displayed, at least none I remember. I do know that the M&P Bakery I worked in never had a complete passing grade until I started working there and I would not hesitate to buy their goods or eat at the lunch counter.

Most violations that were given out in the places I worked were things like the temp on the walk-ins and freezers were one to two degrees off or the bleach water for cleaning was not the correct percentage.

[Andy M.]

Call or go online to the Board of Health (or whatever department) and get explanations of the ratings.

[bakechef]

We have to display our score which is accompanied by a letter grade. Our inspections along with anyone else are online and you can see the entire report.

Getting a B here would require a lot of small violations or a vary large one. Holding temperatures are weighed heavily here. In a restaurant, the restrooms can weigh them down, say if when the inspector showed up there was no soap in the dispenser, no towel or hand drying device, or overall cleanliness.

Here I probably wouldn't eat at a "B" since I know they may have serious problems. I would keep an eye on them and if it quickly went back up to an "A", I would give them another shot, because they could have been having a bad day, new or poorly trained employee, etc.. If their score hovers in the low 90's and dips to a "B", then it would indicate to me that they may be lax on sanitation.

[buckytom]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

It would depend on what the criteria is. Where I used to live it was so easy to get an A that it had to be pretty bad to get a B or C.

+1.

i've never noticed anything but an A rating displayed anywhere. a B rating would be an advertisement that the place failed an inspection for various reasons, usually cleanliness, and who knows if they've had time or the wherewithal to correct them.

i don't really have much faith in the truthfulness of a displayed A rating, but i certainly wouldn't eat at a B or less rated restaurant.

[Steve Kroll]

I've never heard of this letter grade thing. Is it something new?

I have to admit it sounds like a pretty good idea, though. Kind of like the Scarlet Letter... except with "A" being a positive.

[Kylie1969]

I have not seen any food rating over my side of the world

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by Steve Kroll

I've never heard of this letter grade thing. Is it something new?

I have to admit it sounds like a pretty good idea, though. Kind of like the Scarlet Letter... except with "A" being a positive.

It is not new but it is state by state.

[Barbara L]

Originally Posted by PrincessFiona60

I've never lived anywhere they gave ratings that had to be displayed, at least none I remember. I do know that the M&P Bakery I worked in never had a complete passing grade until I started working there and I would not hesitate to buy their goods or eat at the lunch counter.

Most violations that were given out in the places I worked were things like the temp on the walk-ins and freezers were one to two degrees off or the bleach water for cleaning was not the correct percentage.

Originally Posted by Steve Kroll

I've never heard of this letter grade thing. Is it something new?

I have to admit it sounds like a pretty good idea, though. Kind of like the Scarlet Letter... except with "A" being a positive.

Originally Posted by FrankZ

It is not new but it is state by state.

I learn something new every day! I thought the letter-grade system was nationwide. I remember seeing the letters in restaurant windows in San Diego when I was as young as 6 or 7. In fact, around here they show both the letter and a percentage.

Our local newscasts (Columbia and Charlotte) have weekly restaurant reports, where they show which restaurants have received the highest grades, lowest grades, and those which have brought bad ratings up. They explain what the letter alone can't--why they got the bad rating. Our Columbia CBS affiliate, WLTX, gives a "Golden Spatula" award to one restaurant each week, for having consistently good ratings.

[CraigC]

Originally Posted by Kylie1969

I have not seen any food rating over my side of the world

It isn't a food rating. The system deals with the health code and violations of the standards. LOL, sometimes I wish it was about the food! Fast foods, garbage chains would disappear!

[buckytom]

i doubt it.

lots of people would just get used to eating a "c" food diet.

[CraigC]

Originally Posted by buckytom

i doubt it.

lots of people would just get used to eating a "c" food diet.

"Filet O' Fish" or a "Whaler". I've always pondered what "Ocean Whitefish" was. There is a place here that specializes in crabs. Captain Crab's Take Away". That just doesn't sound right.

[buckytom]

lol, eat with the captain and get crabs.

kinda like joes gas station and diner.

eat here, and get gas.

[Greg Who Cooks]

Originally Posted by Steve Kroll

I've never heard of this letter grade thing. Is it something new?

I have to admit it sounds like a pretty good idea, though. Kind of like the Scarlet Letter... except with "A" being a positive.

In Los Angeles it began several or a dozen or more years ago. I don't even recall seeing the letters lately, although IIRC they are required to be posted in plain view. I think my eyes just filter them out now.

It's not a good thing (my not seeing them) but it is a good idea in that some public pressure is brought against restaurants that are not so bad as to be closed by the health department but bad enough they need to show improvement or be threatened with loss of business.

[bakechef]

I appreciate the ratings. It also helps that I work in food, and know first hand how places are inspected. It's also great that our health inspector chooses our store to shop in, she has lots of choices in the area and she shops with us!

[GrillingFool]

Recently moved from a state that has ratings to a state that doesn't.
BIG difference!
Here, we often notice that restaurants are dirty... like dead, dusty flies
on the windowsills, caked on dirt on blinds, spotty glasses....
Not so much in national chains, but in local eateries, the use of hair
nets, gloves and other sanitary devices is unusual.
We pick carefully where to eat these days.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by GrillingFool

Recently moved from a state that has ratings to a state that doesn't.
BIG difference!
Here, we often notice that restaurants are dirty... like dead, dusty flies
on the windowsills, caked on dirt on blinds, spotty glasses....
Not so much in national chains, but in local eateries, the use of hair
nets, gloves and other sanitary devices is unusual.
We pick carefully where to eat these days.

They don't post ratings here (that I have seen) but I have to believe they do inspections.