Every month, Maricopa County health inspectors fan out around the Valley, making unannounced visits to local restaurants. They stop by to check on the cleanliness of the kitchens and dining rooms, and the safety of staff and customers.
During the visits, the inspectors check everything from plumbing to food temperature to make sure the physical spaces and restaurant practices are up to code. They share their findings in reports that are publicly available via a searchable online database.
The reports rate any issues on a two-step scale of foundational violations and priority violations. The former are less dangerous, but issues that could lead to a larger concern. For example, a lack of soap could lead to improper handwashing. Priority violations are more serious issues that pose an immediate risk to staff or customers…