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Restaurant Inspections & Tips for Eating Out

Restaurant Inspection Reports | Tips for Eating Out | People at High Risk for Foodborne Illness | Report Foodborne Illness or File Complaint

Restaurant Inspection Reports

In Washington, local (county) health departments inspect restaurants and other retail food service establishments to make sure that food employees follow safe food handling practices and have adequate kitchen facilities.

It's important to remember that inspection reports are snapshots of the food handling at the establishment at the time of inspection - conditions may be different when you visit. The following local health departments have inspection reports available for online viewing:

• Benton and Franklin County

• Clallam County

• Clark County

• Cowlitz County

• Jefferson County

• King County

• Kitsap County

• Pierce County

• Snohomish County

• Yakima County

If your local health department isn't listed above, you should be able to review their inspection reports at their office. Contact your local health department to find out the best way to see your local restaurant inspection reports.

Tips for Eating Out

You can check with your local health department on how restaurants performed on their most recent inspections. Yet, viewing the inspection report of every restaurant you plan to eat at is usually not practical. Plus a great past inspection is no guarantee that a mistake might not be made in the future.

Protect yourself from foodborne illness when you dine out by following these tips:

Order wisely.  For example: order your hamburger well done and send it back if it is undercooked.  If you are at high risk for foodborne illness avoid certain foods - such as sprouts, undercooked meats or eggs, and raw oysters.  

Read the menu and signs.  Restaurants are required to notify you if certain animal foods are served raw or undercooked. These foods may include raw oysters, raw milk, or raw milk cheeses and undercooked meat, eggs, or fish. If you choose to eat these foods, you increase your risk of foodborne illness. 

Ask questions.  Someone in the establishment should be able to tell you how your foods were prepared. 

Let your voice be heard.  Tell the food service establishment’s manager when you notice food safety concerns or give a compliment to the manager when you notice safe food handling. 

Know the requirements.  Food service operators in Washington follow many precautionary steps to serve your food safely.

• In Washington, food workers are trained to prevent bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods. Food workers must use gloves, tongs, or other barriers so that they do not touch ready-to-eat foods (such as toast, sandwiches, and salad). 

• Certain foods must to be kept at proper temperatures for safety. Foods such as meats, sliced melons, cooked vegetables,  cooked rice, and cooked noodles must be kept either hot or cold. If your food is not as hot or cold as it should be, send it back.

• Food workers must wash hands twice after using the restroom—once in the restroom and then immediately upon returning to the kitchen.

• Read more about safe food handling in the Washington State Food and Beverage Workers' Manual.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Stop eating if food tastes, looks, or smells bad.

Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible and within 2 hours.

Call the health department. Complaints or concerns about food safety at a restaurant, contact your local health department.

People at High Risk for Foodborne Illness

Everyone is at risk for foodborne illness. Some people may be at high risk for developing foodborne illness. These include:

• Infants and children under 5

• Older adults over  65

• Pregnant women and their unborn babies

• People with weakened immune systems 

• People traveling outside the U.S.

Additional information for people at high risk of foodborne illness is available from the CDC, Food Safety Office.

Report a Foodborne Illness or File a Complaint

To report a suspected foodborne illness or file a complaint about unsafe food handling practices, contact your local health department. If you have difficulty reaching them, you may also contact our Food Safety Program.