2 Alachua County restaurants get perfect scores; 2 cited for high-priority violations

Staff reports
·4 min read

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Florida's restaurant owners are not required to post restaurant inspection results where guests can see them. So every week, we provide that information for you.

For a complete list of local restaurant inspections, including violations not requiring warnings or administrative action, visit our Alachua County restaurant inspections site.

Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Alachua County, Florida, for the week of May 6-12, 2024. Please note that some more recent, follow-up inspections may not be included here.

Disclaimer: The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation describes an inspection report as a 'snapshot' of conditions present at the time of the inspection. On any given day, an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in their most recent inspection. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term conditions at the establishment.

For full restaurant inspection details, visit our Alachua County restaurant inspection site.

Which Alachua County restaurants got perfect scores on their health inspections?

These restaurants met all standards during their May 6-12 inspections and no violations were found.

** Restaurants that failed an inspection and aced a follow-up inspection in the same week

Which Alachua County restaurants had high priority violations?

McDonald's Gainesville

1206 W. University Ave., Gainesville

Complaint Inspection on May 6

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

11 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee touched soiled surface and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee in touched bottle of drain cleaner, hair, and hat with bare hand, then proceeded to prepare a frozen drink without washing hands. Manager had employee wash hands before continuing to prepare drinks. **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. One fly in dry storage area in back of kitchen. Two flies at front counter. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Quaternary ammonium sanitizer not at proper minimum strength for manual warewashing. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Three compartment sink 500+ppm. Inspector had manager dilute sink with water, then 250ppm. Manager stated she will call eco lab today to repair dispenser. **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Plastic bottle containing drain cleaner stored on prep table beside and above plastic takeout cups. Manager removed drain cleaner from prep table during this inspection. Spray bottle containing glass cleaner stored on shelf beside paper takeout bags at cookline. Manager removed glass cleaner from shelf during this inspection. **Corrected On-Site**

Steak N Shake #341

3714 SW 42nd St., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on May 8

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

8 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed: at the left end of the cook line: hot dog 50, swiss cheese 48, American 53F. A ice was added below, pans were moved to the walk-in freezer, ice bags are ready to be implemented. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Observed: blue spray window cleaner stored next to milkshake candy, at the milkshake area. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. Observed: at the mop sink on the non-chemical side of the splitter, lack of vacuum breaker.

What agency inspects restaurants in Florida?

Routine regulation and inspection of restaurants is conducted by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The Department of Health is responsible for investigation and control of food-borne illness outbreaks associated with all food establishments.

How do I report a dirty restaurant in Florida?

If you see abuses of state standards, report them and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation will send inspectors. Call the Florida DBPR at 850-487-1395 or report a restaurant for health violations online.

Get the whole story at our restaurant inspection database.

What does all that terminology in Florida restaurant inspections mean?

Basic violations are those considered against best practices.

A warning is issued after an inspector documents violations that must be corrected by a certain date or within a specified number of days from receipt of the inspection report.

An administrative complaint is a form of legal action taken by the division. Insufficient compliance after a warning, a pattern of repeat violations or existence of serious conditions that warrant immediate action may result in the division initiating an administrative complaint against the establishment. Says the division website: "Correcting the violations is important, but penalties may still result from violations corrected after the warning time was over."

An emergency order — when a restaurant is closed by the inspector — is based on an immediate threat to the public. Here, the Division of Hotels and Restaurants director has determined that the establishment must stop doing business and any division license is suspended to protect health, safety or welfare of the public.

A 24-hour call-back inspection will be performed after an emergency closure or suspension of license.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville area restaurant/food truck inspections: May 6-12, 2024