how much do hygiene awards mean to you in restaurants?

CanonDjango

CanonDjango

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A curry house near me that I have used for 15 years has just got a 1 in their hygiene inspection.

The food there is so good I honestly couldn't care less. I've eaten there at least once a month every month for at least 15 years. Never had a bad meal, never been ill. I've also eaten street food in vairous countries around the world where the hygiene levels are probably a minus one.

I'm wondering if the lack of hygiene is what makes the food taste so good! lol

so how much does it sway your use of a place?
 
Well we have a 5 and I wouldn't eat any of our products, I've seen the way it's stored and prepared!
 
If I were to walk into a place, and it was very obviously dirty, I would probably walk out to be honest, but otherwise, im very much in the 'what I dont know wont harm me as this food is so yummy' camp.
 
I can come at this from three angles

First of as a customer, honestly I've only checked 2 maybe 3 times on eateries ratings, if the food tastes good and it doesn't make me I'll I honestly don't care, I do however think there is a fundimental flaw in the system, I believe it should be law that the rating must be displayed and prominently, as things currently stand the restaurants are not required to display them so really only those with a decent rating will display them...that said I guess if not displayed it prehaps tells you something in itself :lol:

As a former bar/facilities manager for our rugby club we were because of the nature of the business subject to inspections, now I remember one particular inspection one afternoon (while closed) they turned up as I was just getting ready to do the weekly heavy clean...when the inspecters walked in...so I put what I had in my hands down in order to shake hands this was a bottle of floor cleaner...as I was behind the bar I put it down infront of the till...sure enough the report came back 3 stars because the really wouldn't recommend storing cleaning chemicals on the back of the bar when it could be confused with a drink FFS :bang:

Finally my dad owned a industrial and commercial cleaning company that I worked at for several years, I can tell you some of restaurant and take away kitchens we had to perform heavy/high level cleans on were horrendous, some we were convinced the only time they were cleaned was the 6 monthly clean we did :puke: we also held various contracts with local authorities for heavy cleans on school kitchens and while many were exceptionally well cleaned and in reality didnt need the high level clean, some were amongst the worst kitchens we ever cleaned

So how much difference does it make, in reality not a lot, but then any that is so bad it will likely be shut down by environmental health anyway
 
I only eat in places that get 4 or 5. Generally it means the food is a heck of a lot better than those that can't be bothered with this sort of thing. A rating of 1 means it is a truly disgusting place and generally filthy. Seeing on tv what a 1 rated establishment is like I wouldn't eat anything from that kind of place at all.
 
yes and no. like you say some places we've used for years have medium ratings.

on the other hand, you should hear some of the stories that come out of mass produced food factories.. wheres the rating system for those..
 
You eat out!!! :eek:


Personally I wouldn't trust anywhere to dish up food hygienically prepared ... you only have to go into the gents and watch the 'wash-basin bypass', or see the food prep bring done with the same 'protective gloves' used for everything else - these are just the 'neglect' issues, I dread to think what goes on just for the hell of it or to save a few pennies!

I used to run a cleaning company doing commercial/office & carpet cleaning and like Matt I've seen some sights in restaurants - years ago my favourite local curry house was fined several thousand ££'s for repeat offences involving vermin at the premises ... we knew nothing until it was reported in the press.
In principle I think the hygiene awards are a good idea and I can't see myself eating in a '1' but even in a '5' I would still be very wary.
 
Ah yes. Television. Where everything is just as it's shown. :lol:

Way too much emphisis these days on "killing 99.9% of germs dead".

Pretty sure that if you've been eating there for that long, you'll still be going back CJ :-)
 
viv1969 said:
Ah yes. Television. Where everything is just as it's shown. :LOL:

Way too much emphisis these days on "killing 99.9% of germs dead".

Pretty sure that if you've been eating there for that long, you'll still be going back CJ :)
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exactly. in fact even if it got a zero I'd still eat there.

I care less about how clean the place and food is and much more about how good it tastes.
 
I'm very picky about eating out. Ones that don't have locally produced meat etc I'll usually avoid as well now. It's usually a sign that they are actually remotely bothered about the quality of the ingredients.

Food factories should be rated. The entire food production industry is pretty iffy it has to be said. If you can find your beef is actually horse then there are clearly some serious problems!
 
I went to a 3/5 the other day which I thought was puzzling. It made me think although really, it kinda doesn't mean anything to me, as I have no idea about food hygiene.

I guess there are varying degrees, but either it's safe or it isn't!
 
I tend to put more faith in how clean a place looks when I go there and how staff treat customers than the hygiene awards TBH.
I'd never order food from somewhere that I hadn't physically been to first though.

I had a Saturday job in a 4* rated Chinese takeaway many, many years ago and I also temped for a while managing a team of auditors for Meat Hygiene Services (basically inspecting and checking standards at abbatoirs) . . . honestly, if I thought too deeply about what I might actually be eating I don't think I'd ever eat anything ever again.
 
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For many years we used my local Chinese takeaway and were never ill, or had any complaints, even the staff and delivery drivers were really friendly. It wasn't until after watching a program about the food hygiene ratings, I decided to look. My local had a bit fat zero!!

Ill be honest, I felt a bit ill at the thought, especially after seeing a 2 rated place on the program and how vile that was.
We started using a different place, that was 5 rated and we were both ill after the first meal. Thinking nothing of it, or a coincidence, we had another meal from there a few weeks later and we were both ill again!

We went back to our 0 rated place and haven't had a problem. (In fact I just checked and its also now a 5!)
 
Meh, used to eat out at dai pai dongs with roaches and rats all over the place all the time.

Living in an antiseptic bubble does you no good, get them germs in and build up a decent immune system .
 
I like to review restaurants / hotels on trip advisor - but I still have my favourite local restaurants at home In York and abroad.
 
I have never noticed any awards for hygiene, stars for quality, etc. and I don't intend to start now.

I wonder what scores our own kitchens would get!


Steve.
 
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You see the little green food hygiene label on virtually every restaurant or take away these days...
 
I don't frequent restaurants. I eat in 'greasy spoons' and wayside transport cafes. They don't get hygiene awards.
 
They do, they probably just don't want to advertise the score.

All places selling food must be inspected by the FSA, even all the babysitters, care homes, schools and village halls have them round here.

Stuart M said:
I don't frequent restaurants. I eat in 'greasy spoons' and wayside transport cafes. They don't get hygiene awards.
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TCR4x4 said:
They do, they probably just don't want to advertise the score.

All places selling food must be inspected by the FSA, even all the babysitters, care homes, schools and village halls have them round here.
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They might all get a FSA rating but a 'greasy spoon' is certainly never going see the inside of the Michelin Guide, is it. Then again, Cap'n Jaspers on Plymouth's Barbican is already world famous so it doesn't really need any awards.
 
Blank_Canvas said:
You see the little green food hygiene label on virtually every restaurant or take away these days...
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You might, but I can hand on heart say I've never clapped eyes on one.
Just not looking for them I suppose.
 
Stuart M said:
Then again, Cap'n Jaspers on Plymouth's Barbican is already world famous so it doesn't really need any awards.
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Not really an award though is it, it's a record of hygiene inspection results.

The scheme works by issuing a food business with a score of between 0 to 5 after it has had a food hygiene inspection. The scores are classified as:

0 - urgent improvement necessary
1 - major improvement necessary
2 - improvement necessary
3 - generally satisfactory
4 - good
5 - very good
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Alan Clogwyn said:
Well we have a 5 and I wouldn't eat any of our products, I've seen the way it's stored and prepared!
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:agree: i work for a very snobby high class firm that is lucky it doesn't get random spot checks, bad enough that i wouldn't eat it :puke:
 
neil_g said:
yes and no. like you say some places we've used for years have medium ratings.

on the other hand, you should hear some of the stories that come out of mass produced food factories.. wheres the rating system for those..
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BRC at least 2 day larger factories up to 4 days audit rated a - d have to have a least a b to supply any retailer, couple this with retailers own audits again unannounced over a couple of days, contrary to what the press would have you belief the food industry in this country is one of the most heavily regulated and audited anywhere. Horse gate was deliberately fabricated by the supplier in Hungary, anyone now supplying meat or meat products to the industry has to DNA test ALL meat that comes in before it can go anywhere near production
 
Obviously none of you have had Salmonella from an Indian ! Believe me it is not pleasant and the Restaurant had been recommended too! Just remember if their food standard practices are that bad, they could kill someone !
 
Overexposed said:
Obviously none of you have had Salmonella from an Indian ! Believe me it is not pleasant and the Restaurant had been recommended too! Just remember if their food standard practices are that bad, they could kill someone !
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Regardless of where it was picked up from; I'll see your salmonella and raise you campilobacter.
Did you save samples of the meal and your vomit for analysis?
 
viv1969 said:
Regardless of where it was picked up from; I'll see your salmonella and raise you campilobacter.
Did you save samples of the meal and your vomit for analysis?
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Been there done that Ruth.
Would not wish that on anyone - fever, stomach cramps and the rest for nearly a week. On the plus side I lost nearly a stone in weight, but felt much healthier once I had put the stone on again.
 
viv1969 said:
Regardless of where it was picked up from; I'll see your salmonella and raise you campilobacter.
Did you save samples of the meal and your vomit for analysis?
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Indeed vomit collected - and the loveliness of clingfilming the toilet bowl for the all important stool and blood sample!
Thing is I still love indian fod though I am now considerably more circumspect about where I eat it!
 
No one has mentioned awards apart from you, we are talking about the mandatory FSA ratings that all places serving or selling food must have.

Stuart M said:
They might all get a FSA rating but a 'greasy spoon' is certainly never going see the inside of the Michelin Guide, is it. Then again, Cap'n Jaspers on Plymouth's Barbican is already world famous so it doesn't really need any awards.
Click to expand...
 
Stuart M said:
They might all get a FSA rating but a 'greasy spoon' is certainly never going see the inside of the Michelin Guide, is it. Then again, Cap'n Jaspers on Plymouth's Barbican is already world famous so it doesn't really need any awards.
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MMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Cap'n Jasper's! Anyone visiting the Plymouth Aquarium should trot over the bridge to Cap'n J's for a burger and a cuppa. Just watch out for the ligging gulls.
 
Have worked as a chef for many years. How a place looks isnt always a good indication. Like wise having a clean kitchen doesnt mean the practices of the staff are not bad.
I may not be thr best chef in the world but cleanliness and food hygiene was my no1 priority. Haveing started as a kitchen porter cleaning kitchens in a large hotel that was drummed into me from the start. Sadly alot of chefs couldnt care less.. ling hours, low pay and generaly badly treated means they want out the place as soon as service stops.

On another note every year we visit china and ive yet to have a dodgy stomach from bad food hygiene practices.... and alot of the places ive been or looked at you would think might kill you.
 
The chefs round here are always complaining about ling hours
 
The place may have a 0 rating but I seriously doubt there's any risk to the public, if there was the place would be shut down

My mother in law is 89 , she lives on her own, cooks,cleans and does her garden

the only place that's ever seen any bleach in the 25 years I've known her is the toilet, she hasn't been ill once that I can remember in all that time.

We've been conditioned to buying paper towels, cleaners etc thinking our kitchens are spotless because of it , it's very good marketing
 
My gran was the same, had the same dishcloth for 25 years and let it dry scrunched up in a ball - no germs in there then ! Waste not want not was her favourite saying bless her !


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