How grading works in King County.

Start with the local scale

King County (including Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, and Renton) scores inspections with points, and a LOWER score is better. Red violations are the most serious food-safety risks; blue violations are less serious maintenance and sanitation items. Each inspection is marked Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory.

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.