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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you care about hygiene rating?

125 replies

beckietheconqueror · 08/05/2023 23:18

Hi everyone!

Just wondering. Do you care about hygiene rating?

My husband likes to eat in random local fried chicken/burger shops, even when their hygiene rating is 1 or 2 stars.

There's one around the corner that looks dodgy, is always empty, and has a 1 star hygiene rating. He orders from them and a couple more regularly and calls me a snob from not wanting to.

AIBU to be cautious about it?

OP posts:
Olivida98 · 09/05/2023 00:06

Curtains70 · 08/05/2023 23:34

I've never bothered to look and also never had food poisoning in my life

Same

Rosesandstars · 09/05/2023 00:10

Yep, I'm emetophobic and want to avoid getting food poisoning! I would avoid anything lower than a 4.

gettingoldisshit · 09/05/2023 00:11

You can lose stars for things like paperwork or the building etc. so its not always to do with the actual cleanliness and food hygiene practices.

Noodlehen · 09/05/2023 00:13

I dont. But you know you can check what they scored in each category to work out why their score is so low.

SoShallINever · 09/05/2023 00:26

I always check the ratings. 4 is my cut off. Mind you I've only had food poisoning once and that was from an M and S sandwich. Verified by environmental health who tested the wrapper.

musicforthesoul · 09/05/2023 00:32

I honestly couldn't tell you what the hygiene rating was at any of the places I've eaten at recently, never check. Hasn't caused any issues.

BarelyLiterate · 09/05/2023 00:36

Many years ago I worked as a manager in the hospitality industry. The only hygiene rating that any professionally run food & beverage service establishment should ever get is 5. It really isn’t difficult. Every McDonalds always gets rated 5, and the manager / franchisee would soon be out of a job if it didn’t. I always check ratings and I would never eat anywhere which rated below 3.

PBandJs · 09/05/2023 00:37

I‘ve never looked up a hygiene rating. If I get a bad vibe or see something gross I won’t eat there, and if I get a bad stomach I won’t go back but otherwise I don’t think I’m fussed.

Purplehyena · 09/05/2023 00:38

I always look it up and won’t order a takeaway from or eat in anywhere under a 4.

DrFoxtrot · 09/05/2023 00:42

I've never checked before going somewhere and I'd probably only be put off by local reputation/ bad stories from people I know.

Twopoodlesarebetterthanone · 09/05/2023 00:42

Yeah 4 would be my minimum except for a coffee or something

fUNNYfACE36 · 09/05/2023 01:03

Yes!

Divorcedalongtime · 09/05/2023 02:09

I hesitate at 3. Ratings are not for snobs.

mydoghasanattitude · 09/05/2023 02:26

If I thought to look, I'd care, but it might not occur to me. It would ruin my enjoyment of the food if I saw a poor rating before eating.

steff13 · 09/05/2023 02:31

At a restaurant, definitely.

JandalsAlways · 09/05/2023 02:33

Funnily enough, my husband thinks the lower rated ones have the tastier food 😆 I care, he doesn't, and I'd never admit it but he does seem to have a point 🙈

knittingaddict · 09/05/2023 02:33

Honestly, no.

I probably wouldn't seek out the ones with low ratings, but if it's somewhere I know then I wouldn't care much.

The best Indian restaurant I've ever known was shut down more than once. One of our previous favourite Chinese takeaways had a rating of 1. Didn't realise until some time later and we still used them. Only stopped ordering when they appeared to close during covid lockdown. We tried a different one and prefer it.

Never been ill from eating food from any of these places.

knittingaddict · 09/05/2023 02:35

Just checked our usual Chinese takeaway and it's a 4. Never bothered to check before this thread.

ColdBrewInSummer · 09/05/2023 02:59

I’m germaphobic and have emetaphobia, so yes, I really care about the ratings! I don’t live in the U.K. anymore but I used to only go to places with a 5 and Google the restaurants beforehand to check.

awakeeveeynight · 09/05/2023 04:10

Isn't it to do with paperwork just as much as it is to do with hygiene? So for example, if someone hasn't been taking fridge readings they'd get a 1 or 2 rating. It isn't necessarily about rat droppings.

strawberryandcreams · 09/05/2023 05:14

You can't get more than a 4 without paperwork. Layout is also considered.
I recently got a 5 star as a small
Business owner (very good in all 3 areas) the inspector told me the amount of businesses who don't have paperwork is astounding.
My business is also low risk but still required knowledge.

You also don't get a 5 if you don't have 2 sinks. (One for hand washing)
Layout
Paperwork
Hygiene knowledge
Safer foods, better business manual is the best one to use.
You need proof of suppliers
You need awareness of cross contamination and evidence of risk assessment

If you're getting 3 and lower, you need to ask yourself why.

strawberryandcreams · 09/05/2023 05:15

awakeeveeynight · 09/05/2023 04:10

Isn't it to do with paperwork just as much as it is to do with hygiene? So for example, if someone hasn't been taking fridge readings they'd get a 1 or 2 rating. It isn't necessarily about rat droppings.

They could still get a 4. Not an1/2 that's given in extreme circumstances

PseudoBadger · 09/05/2023 05:21

EHO here.
There is no such thing as 'just paperwork'. If they are not taking/recording fridge temperatures then how can they show the food has been kept at the required temperatures to prevent bacterial growth?
Also, food inspections were only announced for a short time during Covid. They have been back to unannounced inspections for a very long time.

JulieHoney · 09/05/2023 05:24

Yes, I always check and no, I wouldn’t buy food from anywhere that was lower than a 4.

PseudoBadger · 09/05/2023 05:28

You'd be surprised how many food businesses routinely open with no hot water for hand washing and kitchen duties.
Another common reasons for low ratings is cross contamination (imagine your burger bun being sliced on the chopping board where raw meat is prepared, and with the same knife?)

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