I must say that when New York introduced this whole restaurant grading thing, I was quite taken with it. In a city with quite literally endless dining options, it’s nice to be able to have an additional element in the decision making process. NYC requires all restaurants to post their inspection grades in their front windows or doors. I love seeing those letters, and keep my eyes open for the 800-point font blue “A” that tells me my chosen establishment is as clean as it gets.
Walking home a few months ago I noticed that the pizza place on my block had received its grade: a big green “B.” I wasn’t sure how to proceed. The pizza is good. The guys are friendly. It’s a three-minute walk from my door.
One friend offered that this place would now be inspected more often, unlike those clean places that the inspectors would probably ignore for a good long while. Another friend offered to look up the specific violations (yes, this is all public info). Her thinking was that the violations may be minor, non-food related things that would make me feel better. I didn’t dare take a chance on looking. I knew that once I looked, there was no going back.
A few weeks ago, I noticed that the “B” was gone, and in its place was a notice that they were being re-graded. Problem solved. I was sure they would become an “A” and I would be able to enjoy the occasional slice in peace.
Last week I saw it. The big orange “C.” And, like everyplace I’ve seen with that letter out front, it’s empty. I couldn’t help myself: I looked up their violations. And what started out as a dilemma has been definitely solved.
3 comments:
The food grading system officially falls under the "things I never never ever ever want to think about" column. I do not want to consider the kitchen where my pizza is made. Of course, you can usually see into the kitchens of most places where I buy such things (in Maine, land of the convenience store) but still, I don't want to think about it.
Even if my favorite restaurant got a C rating, I might still eat there, with the attitude that cockroaches didn't scamper across my entree, and there probably aren't rodent droppings in my brownie. A C is pretty darned good - I wish I'd gotten one in organic chemistry back in college!
I wish I’d never gone to the website. Even the places with perfect scores had infractions listed that I’d rather not think about.
And I’d agree that a C isn’t all that bad . . . except that it’s the lowest grade possible. It essentially indicates that they health department continues to monitor until the grade improves or it becomes necessary to shut the place down.
Oh ick, if a C is the lowest, nope, I guess I wouldn't eat there either.
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