As Charlotte’s restaurant selection continues to grow, many establishments are scrambling to attract customers and really letting their health standards slide in the process.
Some of the most common reasons for low scores were food handlers not washing their hands properly, contaminated food containers, and improper food temperatures (many restaurants are starting to use infrared thermometers to avoid this).
These were the top 10 worst inspection scores in Charlotte for April 2024;
#10 Parr Center Kitchen
2725 SOUTH BV, CHARLOTTE NC 28209
Scored 89 (B) on 4/25/2024 (rescored to 97.5 on 5/2)
They had the following violations;
- Hand washing, cold holding, hot holding, utensil washing, date marking and cooling were not being done properly during inspection.
- Employee observed using cell phone and then donned gloves without washing hands first.
- No paper towels at hand washing sink at dish machine area.
- Deli slicer, most pans and containers, measuring cups, and scoops stored as clean still had grease and food residue on them.
- Gravy measured 156F at 10:30AM that was cooling in walk-in cooler. Gravy then measured 135F when checked at 11:30AM. This rate is too slow to cool from 135F to 70F within 2 hours.
- Chili held on grill using hot holding measured 130F.
- Pizzas held on rack out of temperature control at 67F. Marinara sauces also held out of temperature control at 69F. Establishment must hold items below 41F, or using time as a public health control.
- Chicken, sausage, pizza sauce, cole slaw, cooked peppers, cooked mushrooms, and ham were missing date labels.
#9 Mr Charles Chicken and Fish Too
8006 CAMBRIDGE COMMONS DR, CHARLOTTE NC 28215
Scored 88.5 (B) on 4/23/2024 (rescored to 95 on 4/30)
They had the following violations;
- Observed PIC without knowledge of food temperatures.
- Observed several violations noted on inspections that were not managed by PIC (handwashing, cross contamination, storage order).
- Observed food employee go to pull down someone else’s shirt then go to continue preparing food.
- Observed no soaps at front and back handwashing sink.
- Observed cooked meat, thawing raw salmon and box of raw turkey stored at basin 1 a the 3 comp sink.
- Observed can opener soiled with old food debris.
- Observed rice cooling a rate of .03.
- Observed large bins of chicken in tall reach in 1 holding above 41F.
- Observed 2 containers of fish in tall RI 2 holding above 41F.
- Observed lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and mushrooms holding above 41F.
- Observed cheese and BBQ pork in low reach in unit holding above 41F.
- Observed burgers, beef and hotdogs holding above 41F.
#8 Cherry House Restaurant
7631 SHARON LAKES RD, CHARLOTTE NC 28210
Scored 88.5 (B) on 4/11/2024 (rescored to 96.5 on 4/24)
They had the following violations;
- Observed PIC not demonstrate and ensure rules met regarding handwashing and cold holding.
- Observed food employee turn faucet off with bare hands.
- Observed employee walk from outside of building and return to kitchen for food preparation and handle clean equipment.
- Observed laundry detergent used for food contact surface detergent per operator.
- Observed employee washing bus tub for food storage at prep sink.
- Observed soup hot held at 117 degrees F from prior day.
- Observed walk in cooler not maintaining TCS foods at required temperature.
- Observed TCS foods held between 44-48 degrees F.
- Operator contacted maintenance to come out within 2 hours to calibrate walk in cooler.
- Observed grill cleaner bottle not labeled.
#7 Teriyaki Express
6434 W SUGAR CREEK RD, CHARLOTTE NC 28269
Scored 87.5 (B) on 4/15/2024
They had the following violations;
- Observed paper towels not at hand sink.
- Observed can opener stored as clean with build up on blade. Also Observed pans and utensils with debris as well.
- Observed inside of microwave with food and debris on inside.
- Observed several food items out of temp.
- Observed food in WIC cooked from previous day without date.
- Observed cooked chicken in (2) pans without discard time.
#6 Philly Corner
8535 HANKINS RD, CHARLOTTE NC 28269
Scored 87.5 (B) on 4/18/2024
They had the following violations;
- Observed facility had multiple Priorities during inspection.
- Observed employee don gloves without handwashing and started handling food.
- Observed employee pick up paper off floor throw it away and continue working.
- Observed 2 hand sink with items in them.
- Observed raw chicken stored over shaved beef.
- Observed beef patty at 43F.
- Observed cooked chicken, turkey and ham without date marking.
#5 Bonchon
1600 E WOODLAWN RD, CHARLOTTE, NC 28209
Scored 87 (B) on 4/3/2024 (rescored to 92 on 4/26)
They had the following violations;
- Observed food employees with minimal employee health knowledge.
- Observed food employee attempt to wash hands in prep sink.
- Observed food employee wash hands and did not use paper towel barrier to turn off faucet and prevent contaminating hands.
- Observed food employee working and moving trash can, employee then returns to prep top cooler to continue food prep with no hand wash in between.
- Paper towel dispenser not working at the hand sink at the kitchen entrance.
- Observed unwashed produce stored above washed produce inside the WIC.
- Observed peeled onions stored in direct contact with shelving inside the prep unit Reach-in.
- Observed multiple knives with food debris on blade stored as clean on magnetic strip above prep sink.
- Observed pans stored as clean with food debris on food contact surface.
- Observed multiple TCS food items (slaw, cooked spinach, mushrooms) stored above 41F inside the prep unit.
- Observed no date marking on items prepared TCS food items stored inside the prep, also observed no date marking on TCS food items stored inside the WIC.
- Observed chemical spray bottle with no labels.
#4 Hook & Reel
14142 RIVERGATE PY, CHARLOTTE NC 28273
Scored 87 (B) on 4/19/2024 (rescored to 96.5 on 4/24)
They had the following violations;
- Observed handwash sink upon entrance with empty soap dispenser.
- Observed tomato sauce in lowboy unit with moderate amounts of mold inside that was also not date labeled.
- Observed one food employee handle raw fish to be fried and not change gloves when heading back to prep line to grab fries to place into another fryer and another food employee wash dishes and not change gloves when heading to prep line to handle tomatoes that were placed into another working container.
- Observed RTE sausage, raw shrimp, raw catfish, and other TCS foods above 41F in both prep tops.
- Observed mutliple containers of RTE sausage, one container of boiled eggs, one container with tomato sauce without date labels.
- Observed cooked corn and potatoes held on time without time label indicating how long they’ve been removed from temperature control, per facility’s written procedures.
#3 Costa Maya
520 UNIVERSITY CENTER BV, CHARLOTTE NC 28262
Scored 84 (B) on 4/22/2024
They had the following violations;
- Observed PIC unable to answer inspector’s questions related to the operation of the facility.
- Observed cook switch task, leave station and return, and change gloves with out washing his hands.
- Observed utensil in back handwashing sink.
- Observed hand sink on cook line below at 85F. Also observed no cold water at back handwashing sink.
- Observed no paper towels at handwashing sink on cook line.
- Observed oyster tags not dated when taken from empty bags and not in chronological order.
- Observed raw fish in container with crab legs.
- Observed inside of the ice machine has buildup.
- Observed employee washing dishes at 3 comp sink without sanitizer.
- Observed employee actively washing dishes with 3 comp sink not set up wash/rinse/sanitize.
- Observed the dicer and 1 container stored as clean with food debris.
- Observed several cooked TCS foods in the WIC above 41F.
- Observed several cooked TCS foods in the lowboy coolers not date marked. These items only had a “use first” sticker on them.
- Observed house made spicy tomato sauce with an expired date mark (4-17-24). Also observed 2 packs of hot dogs date marked 4-6-24.
- Observed sanitizer bucket on prep table.
#2 Popeyes
6107 THE PLAZA, CHARLOTTE NC 28215
Scored 83 (B) on 4/16/2024
They had the following violations;
- Observed PIC unable to answer operational questions and had several priority item violations today.
- Observed no CFPM on duty during inspection.
- Observed PIC was not knowledgeable of the health policy or how employees are trained on the health policy.
- Observe 2 open employee drink on prep tables.
- Observed employee change gloves several times when changing tasks without washing her hands and continue to handle food.
- Observed mustard to-go packs open and sticky.
- Several pans, lids, and plastic containers stored as clean with food debris and sticker label residue.
- Observed Buttermilk and Blackened Ranch to-go packets (labeled keep refrigerated) at drive through window at 73F.
- Observed Cole slaw and cooked rice in WIC not date marked.
- Observed employee put wrong date on portioned cups of Cole slaw.
#1 Guate Linda
6016 THE PLAZA, CHARLOTTE NC 28215
Scored 80 (B) on 4/23/2024
They had the following violations;
- Hot holding, cold holding, proper cooling methods, and Proper thawing methods are not being controlled at the facility.
- Observed employee drinks on prep table when EHS arrived.
- Observed cook wash hands for 10 seconds and turn faucet off with his clean hands.
- Observed cook leave his station and go to outside WIC and then return without washing his hands.
- Observed large open containers of chicken sauce and Mayo in dry storage stored with customer.
- Observed multiple boxes of unwashed produce above RTE food in WIC.
- Observed black beans cooling from yesterday in WIC at 49F.
- Observed refried beans and salsa being HH below 135F. PIC stated that it was just reheated this morning.
- Observed several TCS foods that were prepped or cooked 1 or 2 days ago above 41F.
- Observed multiple pans of TCS foods in the prep unit not date marked.
If you’d like to monitor health scores or do a quick search for a restaurant you’re about to eat at, check out North Carolina’s health inspection database here.
