CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Some of Charlotte's most popular lunch spots find themselves on this week's restaurant report card, and once again, hand washing is a problem!
First up is Lenny's Sub Shop on South Tryon Street. They got a 90, which is an A, but it's a low A. An employee was seen touching ready-to-eat food, like the bread, but didn't wash beforehand, even after handling raw chicken. Eww! Their sanitizer was also weak, meaning it might be ineffective at killing germs when wiping down counters, tables and when mopping floors. Also, some of their employees were not wearing head coverings to prevent hair from falling onto the food.
Next is Luigi's Pizza in Steele Creek. Again, more hand washing issues. Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong way to wash your hands. Once they're washed, you're not allowed to touch the faucets without gloves or using a towel and that's what happened here. And they were storing raw beef with ready-to-eat produce. Remember, raw and cooked foods MUST be kept separate. Also, their cooked pasta, which is made to be served later, wasn't cooling fast enough so they had to throw it out. Their grade? A 90, which is a low A.
These scores should serve as a reminder that restaurant grades need to be front and center when you walk in. It doesn't matter what the grade is, it has to be visible to customers, and having it out of sight or partially concealed is a big no-no.