New inspectors, food code changes lead to restaurants’ low scores
New restaurant inspectors and changes to the state’s food code may explain a rise in the number of low sanitation grades being doled out in Beaufort County — as well as the tempers of restaurant owners who say they’re being treated unfairly.
The first half of 2016 has seen a sharp spike in the number of B and C grades —A, B and C are the only grades given — assigned to local restaurants by the S.C. Department of Health and Environment during inspections. The grades measure the establishments’ compliance with the state’s food safety and sanitation rules.
Sixteen county restaurants have received the lowest possible grade so far this year. In all of 2014 and 2015, only nine C’s were given in the county. The number of B’s have nearly quadrupled during that same time period. Fifty-four B’s were assigned in all of 2014 and 2015, compared with 52 in just the most recent six months. It is important to note, however, that even with the spike, 92 percent of all county restaurants have consistently earned A grades this year.
But for those who haven’t, the new grading landscape doesn't sit well in a competitive, tourist-laden industry where every edge could matter.
Lori Taylor, a managing partner of Giuseppi's in Bluffton, said she found it "appalling" to get a C. She fought the rating and within 24 hours the restaurant's safety rating went from 75 to 97 percent — proof, she says, that the inspection system is imperfect.
“If there were major violations, we wouldn’t be able to correct it that fast,” Taylor said.
Tough inspectors?
Fourteen of the 16 Beaufort County restaurants that scored C’s raised their grade to A’s during a DHEC follow-up visit, which are required to occur no more than 10 days later.
“If these restaurants are correcting things that quickly, that’s a good sign,” said Katie Montgomery, spokeswoman for the S.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association.
Restaurant representatives say it’s proof that the DHEC inspectors assigned to Beaufort County were overzealous.
If these restaurants are correcting things that quickly, that’s a good sign.
Katie Montgomery
spokeswoman for the S.C. Restaurant and Lodging AssociationThe fact that Beaufort County had more C-grade restaurants in 2016 than every other county in South Carolina bolsters local restaurateurs’ claim. For example, Charleston County, which has more than twice as many restaurants as Beaufort County, came in second place with 10 C-grade restaurants. And Horry County, home to Myrtle Beach, tallied just nine.
“We’ve carried an A-rating for years,” said Warren Woodward, director of sales and marketing at The Omni Hilton Head Ocean Resort. The restaurant received a C in April after an inspector observed an employee donning gloves before washing hands, found no drying provision at a hand-washing sink and saw tables preset, exposing glasses and utensils to contamination.
“Our chef and beverage folks say nothing’s changed on our end and it was someone new in the position (inspecting). It was rectified in literally a matter of days,” he said.
John Boyce, the owner of Mellow Mushroom, expressed similar sentiment for the C-grade his Bluffton location received in May. A follow-up inspection saw his restaurant’s score jump 27 points.
“We’re very proud of our five-year track record of A’s,” Boyce said. “We currently have an A hanging in our window and had one several days after the C rating.”
Other circumstances, such as ongoing construction at Stooge’s Cafe in Bluffton and a change in kitchen leadership at Hilton Garden Inn Beaufort, were some of the other reasons restaurants owners gave for their C grades.
DHEC spokesman Jim Beasley confirmed there are new inspectors in the Beaufort office, but said all are properly trained to identify violations.
Our chef and beverage folks say nothing’s changed on our end and it was someone new in the position (inspecting). It was rectified in literally a matter of days.
Warren Woodward
director of sales and marketing at The Omni Hilton Head Ocean ResortSix inspectors cover Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties. That’s a total of 974 restaurants, of which nearly 85 percent are in Beaufort County.
Changes to the food code
Changes to the state’s food code may be another reason for the uptick.
To be more in line with federal standards, the S.C. legislature updated the code in June 2014 —the first update in close to 20 years.
Changes include a ban on bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food and adjustments in temperatures for keeping food hot or cold for extended time periods. The updated code also places less traditional food establishments such as food trucks, farmer’s market stands and restaurants that allow pets under the oversight of DHEC.
“It’s a learning curve on both ends,” said Montgomery of the S.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association.
Inspectors, who face new protocols, and restaurants, that must follow a new checklist of rules and regulations, are still adjusting to the changes, she added. “Everyone’s trying to get on the same page of what’s expected.”
The spike in violations may continue a while longer since some of the food code revisions are being phased in. For example, a new requirement that at least one manager at each facility be certified in food safety did not take effect until last month.
Additionally, the new code is “more consistent and standardized across the state,” said DHEC’s Beasley.
Prior to the code change, inspectors were formally allowed to give A ratings — even to restaurants with histories of repeat infractions.
That was the case for La Mexicana in Bluffton. In 2013, it earned a grade-A compliance level despite citations for two “priority” violations. Priority violations can include infractions such as improper heating and cooling procedures, no paper towel provided at sinks and noncontinuous cooking of raw animal foods.
A follow-up inspection revealed no correction on these two violations. It wasn’t until a third inspection that these violations were corrected, yet the restaurant posted an A on its store window throughout the entire process.
That won’t happen anymore, Beasley said.
The problem with A-B-C grades
But even with the improvements, a letter grade on a restaurant’s door doesn’t necessarily mean what diners think it means.
Grade inflation exists. Four Beaufort County restaurants received scores below 70, meaning they failed their routine inspections in 2016. But they were still considered by DHEC to be C-grade restaurants.
That’s because DHEC operates on an A-B-C basis, Craig said. There is no D or F grade.
Within days, all four restaurants were re-inspected and received A’s.
And conversely, restaurants can score above 77, the cutoff for a C-grade, but still get a C. That’s because DHEC now allows inspectors to downgrade restaurants to the next lowest letter grade if priority violations continue to persist in follow-up inspections.
Six of the 18 C-grades handed out in the first half of 2016 fell into this category. For example, Parker’s #53, a gas station that offers quick-serve food on Hilton Head Island, scored 97 percent but received a C in a March follow-up inspection because of a failure to correct improper cold holding temperatures from another inspection earlier that month. Parker’s #53 improved its score to an A later that month.
And DHEC’s system does not notify diners of restaurants that have experienced sanitation scares in the past.
DHEC’s last large-scale investigation in Beaufort County came from an A-grade restaurant in February 2014. After contracting Hepatitis A outside of work, an employee clocked in at Hudson's Seafood House on the Docks, potentially exposing more than 300 customers to the virus, which causes inflammation of the liver. The virus can be spread through improper hand-washing, one of the most common violations — second only to improper temperatures, said Sandra Craig, who manages DHEC inspections statewide.
No Hepatitis A cases were confirmed and Hudson’s boasts a long history of grade-A compliance ratings and safe food service. But the incident exemplified the paradox of scoring by letters.
To help provide more context for its letter grades, DHEC debuted its S.C. Food Grades app in June. Consumers can now read full inspection reports for all S.C. restaurants online by going to www.scdhec.gov/Apps/Environment/FoodGrades/.
But Jeannie Sneed, a former food safety specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture who now runs her own food safety consulting firm, doubts consumers will take the time to check a restaurant’s rating before walking inside.
“I don’t even do that,” she admitted.
Restaurants with persistent problems
A couple of Beaufort County restaurants have struggled to keep A ratings even before the hiring of the new inspectors.
At Big Joe’s BBQ in Beaufort, an inspector found a roach nest behind the freezer, observed an employee handling cooked ribs with bare hands and determined the freezer was not keeping food frozen in 2014. Corrections were made and preserved through 2015, but the Beaufort-based restaurant received a second C this year for dead roaches in the prep unit, fly tape hanging from the ceiling and hand soap stored in a Mountain Dew soda bottle.
The owner of Big Joe’s BBQ did not respond to multiple phone calls from The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette. The restaurant manager, who started in June, said he did not feel comfortable commenting on violations prior to his start date.
Meanwhile, La Mexicana has yo-yoed between good and bad grades.
The restaurant slipped from an A in a 2013 follow-up inspection to a B during its routine, unannounced 2014 inspection.
The score improved in subsequent inspections, but the restaurant failed a routine investigation in May of this year. During a follow-up inspection in June, La Mexicana actually scored worse — a 68, down from 73 — but, again, dramatically improved in the third inspection to a score of 95.
La Mexicana’s owner, Manuel Martinez, disputes this year’s scores, saying the new DHEC inspectors are not explaining how to correct violations.
DHEC’s Beasley denied the claim, saying all inspectors are trained to help restaurant operators understand their violations and how to address them.
Martinez added that many of the violations in his restaurant’s reports had little to do with cooking. Points were taken off for not providing employee health policy signage, for the hand-washing sink being set eight degrees too cold and for having no light shield covering a bulb in the refrigerator.
“They have more requirements now and nothing to do with meats and vegetables,” Martinez said. “I’ve never gotten a C before. With the new standards, of course we’re going to make mistakes.”
DHEC can revoke a restaurant’s permit if there is a recurring priority violation or if three routine inspections in a two-year period result in a score of below 70.
But the agency has never shut down a Beaufort County restaurant, according to its records.
“We’re not trying to put them out of business,” Beasley said. “(We’re) just making sure it operates safely.”
Kelly Meyerhofer: 843-706-8136, @KellyMeyerhofer
The scores
SC restaurants are graded on a 100-point scale by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. Those who receive 77 points or fewer are given a C rating — the lowest rating the state assigns. They are then re-evaluated. Here’s a look at the 16 Beaufort County restaurants that recently received Cs:
Big Joe’s BBQ, 780 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort, scored 63 percent in April after an inspector found dead cockroaches in the prep area, fly tape hanging from the ceiling and hand soap stored in a Mountain Dew bottle. Temperature violations were also found. Reheated food didn’t reach the required 165 degrees and the hand-washing sink was not hot enough to kill germs. In a follow-up inspection, Big Joe’s BBQ scored a 95 percent. A second routine inspection in June showed the restaurant maintained its A.
The Cat Island Grill & Pub, 8 Waveland Ave., Beaufort, scored 69 percent in April after failing 18 of the 56 checkpoints. Among the problems were rodent droppings, cleaning chemicals stored on top of a flour bin and an accumulation of mildew on the soda dispenser near the server station. The inspector also observed an employee touching ready-to-eat chicken and hot dog buns with bare hands. The restaurant raised its score to 95 percent two days later.
Foolish Frog, 846 Sea Island Parkway, St. Helena Island, scored 70 percent in May for several hand-washing violations. An employee handled raw shrimp, washed gloved hands and then worked with cooked shrimp. Another employee was observed not washing hands after returning from outside. Flies were also found inside the restaurant and an employee’s facial hair was not properly restrained. The restaurant’s score improved to 96 percent in a follow-up inspection. Foolish Frog maintained its A in a second follow-up inspection.
Giuseppi’s, 25 Bluffton Road, Bluffton, scored 75 percent in May for improper holding temperatures, a build-up of grease on the oven hood and mildew on the inner walls of the ice machine. The inspector also observed food on the floor. These violations were corrected and the restaurant’s score improved to 97 percent in a follow-up inspection the next day.
Hilton Garden Inn, 1500 Queen St., Beaufort, scored 86 percent during a follow-up inspection in June. However, the inspector downgraded to a C for failing to correct several violations from a routine inspection in May. These violations included a build-up of black organic matter on the ice machine and dirty mop heads stored in the bottom of the mop sink. These violations were corrected and the restaurant earned an A in another follow-up inspection.
Hinchney’s Chicago Bar & Grill, 104 Buckwalter Place Suite 1A, Bluffton, scored 72 percent in April for excessive build-up of mildew on an ice machine, lack of labeling on storage containers and improper cooling temperatures. In a follow-up inspection 10 days later, Hinchey’s improved to 94 percent.
La Mexicana, 21 Simmonsville Road, Bluffton, scored 73 percent on a May inspection report. Among its violations was pink mildew on the inner walls of the ice machine, raw meat stored over ready-to-eat meat and observations of employees washing hands in a non-designated handwashing sink. The restaurant scored dropped in a follow-up inspection to 68 percent, but improved to a 95 percent in a third inspection.
Maruti Food Mart, 34 Plantation Park Drive, Bluffton, scored 93 percent in March but received a C in an April follow-up inspection because it failed to correct violations from a prior inspection in March. These violations included incorrect temperatures, lack of hand-drying provisions and no test strips to measure sanitizer concentration. Maruti improved its score to an A later that month.
Mellow Mushroom, 878 Fording Island Road #18, Bluffton, scored 69 percent during a May inspection for a build-up of mildew in the bar’s soda nozzle and a sanitizer concentration measured to be too high. The inspector also observed an employee touching ready-to-eat pizza with bare hands. During a follow-up inspection three days later, the restaurant improved to 96 percent.
The Omni Hilton Head Ocean Resort, 23 Ocean Lane, Hilton Head Island, scored 70 percent in April. An inspector saw evidence of pests in one of the dry storage areas and raw beef stored over dressing on the cook line. No soap was provided at the hand-washing sinks by the servers’ station and bar. The Omni improved its score to 100 percent in a follow-up inspection 10 days later.
Parker’s #53, 165 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, received a B-grade on March 4 but was downgraded to a C in a follow-up inspection later that month because of a failure to correct a single violation, improper cold holding temperatures. Parker’s #53 improved its score to an A later that month.
Peking Gourmet, 10 Sams Point Way, Beaufort, scored 76 percent during a routine inspection in January. The inspector noticed a lack of labels on bulk storage and squeeze bottles, incorrect thawing procedure and a back door that did not properly close. In a follow-up inspection 10 days later, Peking Gourmet improved to 96 percent.
Stooge’s Cafe, 25 Sherington Drive, Bluffton, scored 75 percent during a routine inspection in January. The rear exterior door did not properly close, soap was not provided at the hand sink and toilet paper was not provided in the employee restroom. In a follow-up inspection seven days later, the restaurant improved to 100 percent.
Walnuts Cafe, 70 Pennington Drive #20, Bluffton, scored 60 percent during a May inspection. The ceiling and a sink were both leaking and the sanitizer concentration was too high. Bulk storage containers were not labeled. An inspector gave the restaurant a 94 percent in a follow-up inspection three days later.
Yes! Thai Indeed, 2127 Boundary St., Beaufort, scored 86 percent March 11 but was downgraded to a C in a follow-up inspection that month because it failed to correct violations from the March 11th visit. These violations included improper cold holding temperatures and a leaky cooler. In another inspection the following month, the restaurant improved to an A.
Yummy House, 2 Southwood Park Drive, Hilton Head Island, scored 78 and 91 percent, but received two C-grades in follow-up inspections last month after failing to correct temperature and handwashing violations from a prior inspection. An inspector gave Yummy House an A at the end of the month.
By the letter
Grade A: Acceptable to very good, 88-100 points
Grade B: Marginal to acceptable, 87-78 points
Grade C: Poor to marginal, 77-70 points. Restaurants who score below 70 are considered to have failed the inspection, but are still given a C grade.
Click or tap here to view a blank inspection checklist to understand how points are deducted for violations.
This story was originally published July 16, 2016 at 12:00 PM with the headline "New inspectors, food code changes lead to restaurants’ low scores."