Rodent droppings, dead flies in kitchen area. Macon restaurant fails health inspection

Rodent droppings and dead flies throughout the kitchen area contributed to a Macon restaurant failing its February routine health inspection.

Granny Wash Country Kitchen at 3045 Hartley Bridge Road scored a 58 and received a “U” grade for “unsatisfactory compliance” during its routine inspection Feb. 1.

At its required followup inspection Feb. 10, the restaurant bounced back with a 92 and received an “A” for food safety excellence, according to what’s reported by the Georgia Department of Health in its health inspection portal.

A followup inspection is required after a restaurant receives a failing grade and generally happens within 10 days of the routine inspection.

Failing grade

During the routine health inspection of Granny Wash Country Kitchen, an environmental health services inspector “observed evidence of rodents (droppings) and pests (dead flies) throughout kitchen area” as well as “dirty plates stored and rodent droppings throughout plate storage.”

The inspector also “observed food-contact surface of ice machine with mold accumulation,” according to the inspection report.

Other violations were related to several employees not washing their hands after changing tasks, according to the report.

“One incident was re-donning gloves without washing after coming up front to speak with off-clock coworker,” the report said.

Another incident was related to an employee drinking from a cup without a lid or straw while cooking cornbread. The inspector told the employee that the person in charge of the restaurant should have a designated area to drink from cups and to wash hands after drinking and/or eating, the report said.

The inspector also saw an employee cooking in the back without a required hair restraint and an employee with a beard without a hair restraint, according to the report.

Additionally, throughout the main kitchen, the inspector observed food such as chicken and pork chops that had been prepped but without required date marking for food safety.

Cleaning was also needed throughout facility “as floor was sticky and several nonfood contact surfaces with accumulation of debris on walls,” the report said.

Other violations varied from three bulk food containers that were not labeled as required for accurate use to several sinks with plumbing leaks.

On prior inspections, the restaurant scored a 90 for an “A” at its March 8, 2022 inspection, an 86 for a “B” at is Jan. 6, 2021 inspection and a 100 on its initial inspection Oct. 26, 2020 prior to opening, according to inspection reports.

Other Bibb restaurant scores

Meanwhile, most Bibb County restaurants earned “A’s” during their routine inspections during the same reporting period of Feb. 1-28.

Several of those restaurants and one bar aced those inspections with perfect scores of 100. Another 13 restaurants and one bar earned “B’s” while two restaurants earned “C’s.”

Perfect scorers

• Arby’s, 975 Gray Highway
• Burger King, 5441 Bowman Road
• Capt. D’s, 1342 Gray Highway
• Georgia Potato Factory, 1530 Mercer University Drive, Suite 500
• Hotlanta Wings, 650 Shurling Drive, Suite B
• McDonald’s, 2497 Pio Nono Ave.
• Nu-Way Weiners, 6016 Zebulon Road
• Reboot Retro Cafe and Bar, 566 Cherry St.
• Tucker’s Barbecue, 4592 Broadway
• Wendy’s, 1073 Gray Highway

How it works

State health inspectors assign grades based on how many points are deducted from 100, with scores at 69 and below considered failing.

An “A” is given for a score between 90 to 100 and denotes “food safety excellence.” A score of 80 to 89 is considered “satisfactory compliance” for a grade of “B,” while a “C” is given for “marginal compliance” based on a score of 70-79. A “U” for “unsatisfactory compliance” is given when a restaurant scores 69 or less.

Restaurant inspections are designed to protect public health. The Telegraph reviews inspection reports monthly and generally reports only the best and the worst scores.