Seattle Restaurant Health Inspection Scores Explained

How Seattle's Health Inspection Scoring System Works

The Seattle & King County Department of Public Health conducts unannounced inspections at food establishments and assigns scores on a points-deduction system. Restaurants receive a letter grade (A, B, or C) based on their total score: A (90–100 points) indicates excellent compliance, B (80–89 points) shows satisfactory conditions with minor violations, and C (below 80 points) means significant violations were found. Points are deducted for each violation severity—critical violations (like improper food temperature) count more heavily than minor ones. Health inspectors document violations on-site, and restaurants can request re-inspections after correcting issues.

Common Violations Found in Seattle Restaurants

The most frequently cited violations in Seattle include inadequate hot holding temperatures (food not kept at 135°F or above), cross-contamination risks (raw meat stored above ready-to-eat foods), and improper handwashing stations. Pest control issues—evidence of rodents or insects—appear regularly in violation reports, as do uncertified food handlers and failure to maintain proper cleaning logs. Seafood safety violations are particularly common given Seattle's cuisine focus, including improper storage of raw shellfish and failure to maintain required documentation. While many violations are corrected quickly, critical ones can result in temporary closures or increased inspection frequency.

How to Look Up Seattle Restaurant Health Inspection Scores

You can search individual restaurant inspection records on the King County Public Health online database at kingcounty.gov/health, where you'll find detailed violation lists and inspection dates. The site allows filtering by neighborhood, business type, and grade to compare establishments. However, manually checking each restaurant is time-consuming and doesn't alert you to new violations or score changes. Panko Alerts automates this process by tracking Seattle health department data in real-time, instantly notifying you when restaurants you follow receive low grades or critical violations—giving you information that takes weeks to find manually.

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