The McDonald's restaurant on Salem Road at Brown Bridge Road was closed by state health officials for one day Tuesday after failing two routine inspections this year.
State environmental health inspectors, who check compliance in restaurants for food storage and handling, cleanliness and employee hand washing, gave the restaurant a score of 60 points out of 100 Tuesday, the second failing grade it received this year. Restaurants must score at least 70 points to pass an inspection.
According to the Georgia Board of Health, McDonald's scored 60 in an inspection Tuesday and was closed for a manager to participate in what health officials called a "compliance conference." It scored 66 points on April 27, according to the state Board of Health's website, which lists the inspection dates and scores of all restaurants.
A representative from that McDonald's completed compliance training and the restaurant reopened Wednesday, according to the local Health Department office. The restaurant was not allowed to reopen until the conference was completed.
The restaurant was cited for violating regulations concerning proper eating, tasting, drinking and tobacco use; hand washing; food separation and protection; cleaned and sanitized food-contact surfaces; proper cold storage temperature; clearly identified and property stored toxic substances; personal cleanliness; washing fruit and vegetables; properly stored in-use utensils; proper glove use; proper backflow devices installed in the plumbing; installed and maintained ware washing facilities and proper storage of single-use articles.
A compliance conference includes an environmental health inspector with the Health Department and someone involved with the restaurant who has the authority to make changes. They discuss the violations and come up with remedies in a meeting that generally lasts part of a day.
The Salem Road restaurant is owned and operated by the McDonald’s Corp., as opposed to being owned by a franchisee.
“Quality has always been our number one priority at McDonald’s, and our specifications meet and often exceed the recommendations and requirements of America’s Food and Safety agencies,” Noel Blackwood, Operations Manager for Greater Atlanta McDonald’s, said Thursday in a statement. “We take restaurant cleanliness very seriously, and are disappointed with the situation at the Salem road location. We have vigorously reviewed sanitation procedures and have taken steps to ensure compliance with all health inspection requirements. Upon re-inspection Wednesday, the restaurant scored a 100 percent sanitation grade.”
According to the state health website, the restaurant was inspected again Wednesday and scored a perfect 100 points.
In other previous inspections, the restaurant earned scores of 88 points on May 4 and 93 points on Sept. 8, 2010.
The website, which is at ga.state.gegov.com/georgia, lists every restaurant’s last five inspections.
Clarification added: The McDonald's is located on Salem Road at Brown Bridge Road.
