BOSTON — Mayor Martin J. Walsh presented the first restaurant inspection letter grade Wednesday, launching the new grading system.
Walsh and the Inspectional Services Department were at Stash's Pizza in Dorchester to present their restaurant grade with a letter grade "A".
The Health Division of the Inspectional Services Department inspects all restaurants and mobile food trucks at least once a year for compliance with health and sanitation codes. Beginning this year, these scores will be graded resulting in a letter grade of A, B or C. The grades will be posted in the restaurants or food trucks.
The system is modeled after similar ones in New York and Los Angeles, where diners are met at the door with an "A," "B," or "C."
The grade is based on a restaurant's compliance with health and sanitation codes.
"The old system was working. It was working perfectly well. But it's about public awareness," said Commissioner of Inspectional Services Buddy Christopher.
Currently, patrons would have to look up a restaurant's health and safety online to know if there were any problems.
Mayor Walsh says the public display of a letter grade puts pressure on businesses to comply, quickly.
"New York implemented this program 6-years ago, and at that point ,50-percent of the businesses were getting an "A" grade. Fast forward 6-years and 85 percent of the businesses are getting "A' grades in New York City," said Walsh.
Inspectors will continue to work with restaurants to get them to eliminate violations and earn the highest grade, as they did with the managers of Stash, which until recently had violations.
For the first year of the new program, restaurants will not be required to post their grade, although city inspectors believe proud restaurants will quickly begin to post their "A" grades, encouraging diners to stop in.
>>RELATED:
Cox Media Group
