POLL: Should Dirty Philly Restaurants Be Forced to Tell You They Are Dirty?
If you’ve spent any time at all in New York City, you’ve no doubt noticed these Department of Health letter grades stuck to the front door or window of every restaurant you pass by. And earlier this week, Per Se, one of the most expensive restaurants in New York, got some pretty awful press when it didn’t do so well on its inspection.
Other cities have similar programs, including places like Raleigh and Los Angeles. But in Philadelphia, if you want to know how a restaurant did on its most recent health inspection report and whether there was evidence of mouse or insect infestation or other gross stuff, you have to search the city’s database. And reports aren’t even posted there until 30 days after inspection.
With the city’s recent push for “promoting transparency,” these restaurant inspections certainly could be more transparent. But is that necessarily a good idea?
