Tennessee health inspection scores for restaurants

Tennessee restaurants are inspected by the state Department of Health or by a local health department, and the inspection produces a score and a report that the public can usually see. The scoring scale, the passing mark, the rules on posting the report and the timeline for a follow-up after a low score are set by the state rules and by local practice, and this guide does not repeat figures that it has not confirmed. It explains how scoring generally works, what to do to prepare, how to handle a bad result and where to read the current rules.

How are restaurants scored?

Inspectors look for violations, and they weigh the ones that carry a higher risk of foodborne illness more heavily, such as improper temperatures, poor handwashing or cross-contamination. The score and the pass mark come from the state's food service establishment rules. Read the current rules, or ask the department that inspects you, for the exact scale and the point values, because a figure quoted in a news story may be out of date.

Who carries out the inspections?

The state Department of Health sets the rules, and inspections are carried out by the state or by a local health department, depending on the county. Some large counties run their own health departments, so Nashville, Memphis and Shelby County restaurants deal with the local department. Ask the one that inspects you how it scores and posts results, since local practice can differ in detail.

What must be posted?

Establishments are expected to post their most recent inspection report where the public can see it, and results are available online. Check where yours must hang, and replace it when a new inspection is issued. A guest who sees an out-of-date report may assume the worst. Ask your health department what it requires for the position and the format.

What happens after a low score?

A low score brings a follow-up inspection, and if critical violations are not corrected, inspectors can act, up to closing the restaurant until corrective action is taken. Repeated failures can put the permit at risk. The timeline for a follow-up is set by the state and the local department, so ask your health department for the current deadline rather than relying on a number you read online.

A worked example of a bad inspection

A restaurant scores poorly on a routine visit. The report lists a cooler holding food above a safe temperature, a handsink blocked by a mop bucket and no sanitizer in the dish area. The manager fixes the sink and sanitizer during the visit, moves the food to a working cooler and calls a technician for the unit. The same week, the owner holds a team meeting, trains the line on cooling logs and asks the health department when the follow-up will take place. At the follow-up, the cooler holds at a safe temperature, the logs are filled in and the score rises.

How can customers see your score?

Inspection information is published online by the state and by local departments. Look yourself up now and then, as a guest or a reviewer might. Reporters in many cities publish low scores, so a bad one can become news.

How do you prepare for an inspection?

1. Walk the kitchen monthly with the same checklist an inspector uses.
2. Keep thermometers calibrated and temperature logs filled in.
3. Test sanitizer concentration with strips.
4. Keep handsinks clear, stocked and used.
5. Label and date prepared food.
6. Keep training records and certificates where a manager can find them.

What should you do on the day?

Be present, polite and open. Ask the inspector to explain anything that is unclear, correct what you can on the spot and make notes. Afterward, brief the team on what was found and fix the cause rather than the single item. A restaurant that takes the first low score seriously rarely has a second.

Where do you check the rules?

Read the Department of Health's food service establishment rules and your local health department's page for scoring, posting and follow-up. Write down the date you checked.

How do you use a score to improve?

Treat each report as a list of fixes. Sort the items by risk, assign each to a person with a date and check them at the next monthly walk-through. If the same item appears twice, look for the cause, such as a missing shelf, a broken thermometer or a training gap. Share the report with the team, praise what went well and keep the posted copy current. A score that stays high over several inspections is a selling point, and it shows that your habits are working.

What do guests and reviewers see?

A posted score is the first thing a cautious guest reads at the door, and a weekly news roundup of low scores can reach many readers. Keep the posted report straight, clean and current, and be ready to say what you fixed if a guest asks. If you earn a strong score, mention it in a calm way on your website, and keep the report on file as proof.

More guides for your business:

• Tennessee liquor-by-the-drink license and beer permits
• Nashville food truck permits for mobile food businesses
• Tennessee tip pooling and service charge law for restaurants

More in the US guides for food businesses.