Cleanliness is key to the success of any restaurant. And every month, inspectors from the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department fan out around the Valley to check in on local kitchens.
The inspectors drop by unannounced and rate restaurants on a two-part scale. They record foundation violations, which are the sorts of issues that could cause larger problems, such as a lack of soap could result in improper hand-washing. They also record priority violations, which are serious issues that pose a direct threat to the health and safety of staff and customers.
The number of violations corresponds with a letter grade. Any restaurant with three or more priority violations earns a “D.”…