How did Macon restaurants & bars fare on recent routine health inspections?
Most Macon restaurants, bars and food trucks earned “A’s” on routine health inspections during the month of October, including about 30 that aced them with perfect scores of 100.
Sixteen other Macon restaurants, one bar and one food truck received a “B” from Oct. 1-31, according to what was reported in the state health department’s online portal Monday.
The only “C’s” given were to Church’s Chicken at 5394 Thomaston Road, which closed temporarily due to poor compliance with health standards as previously reported by the Telegraph. No Macon restaurant failed its routine inspection in October.
Church’s Chicken on Thomaston Road struggled through four of its last five health inspections.
The restaurant received a 73 at its routine inspection Sept. 9, followed by three more “C’s” with scores of 70 on Sept. 22, 74 on Oct. 8 and 74 on Oct. 20 at its required follow-up inspections before achieving a 98 for an “A” at its fourth follow-up inspection on Oct. 24.
Reviewing prior routine and follow-up inspection scores, the restaurant received one “A,” one “B” and two “C’s” in 2024; two “A’s, one “C” and one failing grade of “U” in 2023, and one “B” in 2022, according to what was reported in the online portal.
State Environmental Health inspectors assign grades based on how many points are deducted from 100, with scores at 69 and below considered failing.
Restaurants and other food establishments that receive either a “U” or a “C” on a routine inspection are required to have follow-up inspections, which usually take place within 10 days of the routine inspection.
Macon restaurants, food trucks, bars & more score perfect 100s
- 3rd & Cherry, 379 Third St.
- 5 Star Mac Shack food truck
- Big Mike’s Southern Cooking food truck
- Big Rhonda’s food truck
- BJ’s Billiards, 430 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
- Chick-fil-A, 1569 Bass Road
- Chick-fil-A, 5055 Brookhaven Road
- Chico & Change, 3850 Riverside Drive, Suite A
- Club Xavier, 4740 Pio Nono
- Cox Cafe, 449 Lower Poplar St.
- Dab’s Cafe, 1000 Terminal Drive
- Dairy Queen, 4553 Forsyth Road
- Domino’s Pizza, 4319 Hartley Bridge Road
- Dunkin’, 860 Forsyth Road, Suite 101
- Grand Opera House, 651 Mulberry St.
- Guitarras Mexican Grill, 781 Spring St., Suite 105
- J Walker Brisket Company, 3975 Arkwright Road, Suite 5
- JBA, 425 Cherry St.
- Just Tap’d, 488 First St.
- Jim Shaw’s Seafood, 3040 Vineville Ave.
- La Bella Morelia, 542 Mulberry St.
- La Bella Morelia food truck
- Makin Plates Diner, 1950 Millerfield Road
- McDonald’s, 4630 Hartley Bridge Road
- Mellow Mushroom, 5425 Bowman Road
- S&S Cafeteria, 3724 Bloomfield Road
- Nu-Way Weiners, 5572 Bloomfield Road
- Oliver’s Corner Bistro, 496 Second St.
- Papa John’s, 4126 Hartley Bridge Road
- Sharks Fish & Chicken, 1413 Rocky Creek Road, Suites A & B
- Shuster’s Candy and Creamery, 616 Poplar St.
- Steve’s Corner Cafe, 3955 Arkwright Drive, Suites 1 & 2
- Subway, 4319 Hartley Bridge Road
- Sumo Sushi & Steak, 3850 Riverside Drive, Suite B
- Taco Bell, 170 Tom Hill Sr. Blvd.
- Taco Bell, 1604 Bass Road
- Texas Roadhouse, 5080 Riverside Drive
- The Monkey’s Paw Tiki Lounge, 470 First St., Unit F
- Tropical Flava, 2396 Ingleside Ave.
- V’s Icy Treats food truck
- Waffle House, 4825 Pio Nono Ave.
- Zaxby’s, 4622 Hartley Bridge Road
Here’s how the scores are graded:
- A” for a score from 90 to 100 for “food safety excellence.”
- “B” for a score from 80 to 89 for “satisfactory compliance.”
- “C” for a score from 70 to 79 for “marginal compliance.”
- “U” for a score of 69 or less for “unsatisfactory compliance”
Restaurant inspections are designed to protect public health. The Telegraph reviews inspection reports monthly.
This story was originally published November 3, 2025 at 12:11 PM.