Personal Injury Law

Marketing the hell out of restaurant inspection results

By Dr. Doug Powell

That's what Wayne Strong, president of Ye Old Walkerville Bed & Breakfast in Windsor, ON wants to do with his latest inspection score, reports the Windsor Star.

The star-rating system called Safe Food Counts will be rolled out over the next few months as businesses [in Windsor-Essex County] are inspected.

Strong embraces the public disclosure system, saying,

"Once you are, as a facility, able to get five stars, market the hell out of it. A community that is enlightened about the system will look for a five-star place. I welcome this. I think for people who do the right thing, this is an affirmation of what I'm doing is right."

Strong's got the right attitude. Establishments that have nothing to hide will embrace the public disclosure system, and see it as an opportunity to market food safety.

Some restaurant workers like Derek Dulyk, of Market Place restaurant in the Holiday Inn Select, are weary of the system, and feel a description of infractions should be posted along side star-ratings at an establishment,

"If you get a four over a five star because a paper towel dispenser is jammed, if it's something as minor as that, I think your customers should be aware"

There are many systems to communicate inspection results to the public. Some use disclosure at the door, others websites. Either way consumers are interested in this information, and it's a good thing when it's made publicly available.
 

Full post as published by BarfBlog on May 07, 2009 (boomark / email).