Start with the local scale
The Allegheny County Health Department (Pittsburgh and 130 surrounding municipalities) inspects restaurants and other food facilities, and records the outcome of each inspection, such as "Inspected & Permitted." The county's current open data lists each inspection's result but not the individual violations found. It does not give letter grades or scores.
A score is not universal
Never compare results between cities. Some departments add points for violations, others use pass/fail, and a lower score can mean a better result.
Read beyond the latest result
Check the inspection date, each recorded violation, and any follow-up inspection. Closures and re-inspections are labeled in each restaurant’s history.
Visit Allegheny County Health Department ↗