Restaurants in Arlington might be compelled to exhibit health inspection ratings.
Fed Up with Dirty Restaurants? Arlington City Council Looks to Change That
Some restaurants may soon have to clean up their acts if the Arlington City Council gets its way. They're proposing a change to the health ordinance that would require eateries to prominently display their health inspection certificates.
At the council's work session on June 24, Mayor Jim Ross voiced his support for the ordinance change. He believes it could keep restaurant kitchens tidy by "forcing people to display it prominently." If Ross walks into a restaurant and sees a poor grade, he's not afraid to say, "What's going on here?"
Council member Bowie Hogg agreed, thinking it's a smart idea. He's even seen similar practices in NYC but not locally.
Two recent studies show that such transparency can lead to fewer cases of foodborne illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, communities that require restaurants to display their health inspection results report fewer cases of salmonella, poor inspection scores, and illness outbreaks.
Apparently, Texas doesn't mandate restaurants to display their inspection certificates, but cities, like Arlington, can set their own rules. Currently, Arlington restaurants must post their latest health inspection results or provide information on how to view them upon request. However, the new ordinance change would make them prominently display their sanitation grade certificates, starting from November 2023.
Right now, those inspection scores are available online, with 100 being a perfect score and 70 being extremely poor. How those certificates are graded? A score of 91 to 100 earns an A, 81 to 90 gets a B, 71 to 80 receives a C, and anything below 70 results in an F.
Mayor Ross asked city staff to draft an ordinance so the council can review it before voting.
So, if you've had your fill of questionable eateries, Arlington City Council could be looking out for you. Keep your eyes peeled for updates on this potential local game-changer.
Dylan Duke is KERA's summer 2025 SPJ news intern. Got a tip? Email Dylan Duke at [email protected].
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P.S. Some experts argue that requiring restaurants to display their health inspection certificates can help improve food safety standards and consumer trust. If violations are visible, restaurant owners may feel pressure to improve, protecting the public's health and reducing the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks.
- Given the recent studies showing that transparency in health inspection results can lead to fewer cases of foodborne illnesses, the Arlington City Council is considering changing its health ordinance, requiring eateries to prominently display their health inspection certificates.
- Additionally, the council is contemplating an ordinance change that would make restaurants prominently display their sanitation grade certificates, effective from November 2023, a move that could potentially improve food safety standards and consumer trust.
- Interestingly, similar practices are already in place in cities like NYC, but Arlington currently only requires restaurants to post their latest health inspection results or provide information on how to view them upon request.
- Experts argue that if violations are visible, restaurant owners may feel pressure to improve, thereby protecting the public's health and reducing the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks.
- To address the issue of dirty restaurants, Texas does not mandate restaurants to display their inspection certificates, but cities, like Arlington, have the authority to set their own rules in this regard.
