Almost 5,000 UK restaurants are so dirty they failed inspection, MailOnline analysis reveals.
Nearly 270 scored zero – the worst possible rating.
MailOnline’s interactive map has today named and shamed all 4,978 restaurants, cafes and canteens that failed their latest inspection.
It allows you to see whether your local is on the list.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, all venues serving food are rated on a scale between zero and five.
Businesses which score two or below have not reached the minimum standards and at least ‘some’ improvement is necessary.
In Scotland, venues are graded on a binary pass/fail basis.
Inspectors who visit such venues may find rotting food and rodent droppings or spot unsafe food storage habits.
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China Rose Oriental restaurant in East Lindsey. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland , all venues serving food are rated on a scale between zero and five
Flavour PT Coffee, Deli and Grocery in Fenland. Businesses which score two or below have not reached the minimum standards and at least ‘some’ improvement is necessary
As well as 267 scoring zero, 1,720 were given a one out of five and 2,081 handed a two.
In Scotland, 910 scored an ‘Improvement Required’ rating.
Major chains such as McDonald’s, Nandos and Pizza Express have at least one outlet that requires improvement.
Councils are individually responsible for inspecting venues to check whether food is being handled, stored and served safely.
This can include retailers, workplaces, schools, hospitals and even prisons.
The results are then passed to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) or Food Standards Scotland (FSS).
The information on the database can change on a daily basis.
MailOnline’s analysis of 136,149 restaurants, which also includes cafes and canteens, was accurate as of January 15, 2025.
FSA chiefs recommend businesses are inspected depending on risk, ranging from once every six months to two years.
Some extremely low-risk premises – such as newsagents, market stalls and cricket clubs – may have even longer intervals between check-ups.
The Crown Hotel in Derbyshire. Councils are individually responsible for inspecting venues to check whether food is being handled, stored and served safely
Shampan in Ceredigion. Of the firms awaiting inspection, there were just shy of 6,000 takeaways, 2,000 pubs, bars and nightclubs, and 11,000 restaurants, cafes and canteens
Japanese restaurant Sican near London’s swanky Marylebone postcode scored a zero FSA rating late last year
Failure to score higher on a re-inspection could result in legal action banning certain practices in the restaurant or even prosecution.
It comes after a MailOnline investigation in November showed 50,000 firms serving food had never been inspected.
Of the firms awaiting inspection, there were just shy of 6,000 takeaways, 2,000 pubs, bars and nightclubs, and 11,000 restaurants, cafes and canteens.
A further 160,000 had not been inspected in two years.
Experts warned shoddy hygiene practices could be going unnoticed because of the delayed probes, leaving unsuspecting customers in danger of getting ill.
Post-Covid backlogs and an ongoing recruitment crisis are behind the delays, which unions have branded a ‘serious public health issue’.
