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Are Letter Grades Unfair To Restaurateurs? City Council Wants To Know!
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jan 10, 2012
Modified Jan 10, 2012
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Oren Novotny
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jan 10, 2012
Modified Jan 10, 2012
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Restaurateurs, the City Council feels your pain. Though the Department of Health's restaurant letter grade program has proved popular among consumers, many restaurateurs are still not loving it. Some are even taking pains to skirt DOH inspections. But don't worry, 2013 election-ready Speaker Christine Quinn and her Council hears the cry of the common cook and is doing something about it! Why, they've even set up an online survey!
"I am troubled by the wave of complaints the Council has received from restaurants—even the ones that get A’s—about the fairness and inconsistency of the food safety inspection process," Quinn said in a statement announcing the new survey. "Any initiative—especially 18 months after establishment—calls for scrutiny. With this survey, we hope to learn more about what is and isn’t working, including whether the grading system has been implemented fairly. The participation of restaurateurs in this analysis is critical, and we look forward to hearing their input."
Basically the two-part survey tries to establish a restaurant's background and its views on the DOH before then delving into what working with the DOH is like. They want to hear your complaints. "Specifically, this section seeks details about violations issued during each inspection from 2008 to the present, along with costs accrued in connection with the payment of fines, consultants and improvements. Survey participants are encouraged to answer as many questions as possible."
Good to know that the City Council is looking out not just for the common man, but also for the common restaurant owner.
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christine quinn
City Council
department of health
doh
letter grades
Garth Johnston
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