WAFFLE HOUSE #35 - SHORTER AVENUE

Observed potentially hazardous, TCS foods being cold held at greater than 41 degrees F in multiple coolers throughout facility during inspection.

Cookline Reach-In: Raw Chicken- 46 degrees, Raw Ground Beef- 46 degrees, Raw Bacon- 46 degrees, and Raw Pork Chops- 45 degrees. Prep Top Cooler: Sliced Cheese- 54 degrees, Sliced Lettuce- 53 degrees, and Sliced Ham- 48 degrees. Main 2 Door Reach In: Waffle Batter- 45 degrees, Sliced Cheese- 45 degrees, and Vegetable Soup- 43 degrees. Dessert Reach-In: Chocolate Milk- 44 degrees, Milk- 43 degrees, and Creamer- 45 degrees. Cooler Drawers: Chopped Ham- 43 degrees, Sliced Ham- 49 degrees, and Sliced Cheese- 44 degrees. Back Reach-In: Half and Half- 50 degrees, Chocolate Milk- 48 degrees, and Milk- 46 degrees. Walk-In Cooler: Sliced Ham- 45 degrees, Raw Steak- 45 degrees, Raw Egg- 45 degrees, and Sliced Cheese- 45 degrees.

Corrective Action: PIC was notified. All TCS foods found to be prepped or held above 41 degrees for greater than 4 hours were discarded. Any TCS foods found to be held above 41 degrees less than 4 hours were relocated to walk-in freezer for rapid cooling to 41 F. Due to multiple coolers not operating properly and insufficient cold holding space available for the safe storage and handling of food, management agreed to voluntarily close facility until proper repairs can be conducted. Licensed professional will be contacted for the proper repair or replacement of all units to ensure they are operating at 41 degrees or below. Documentation is required. Health Department must be contacted prior to re-opening facility and prior to storing any TCS foods in these units.

Observed unapproved employee drinks without lids and straws stored in kitchen area. Bottled drink stored in back prep area. Corrective Action: PIC was notified. All unapproved employee drinks were discarded. Employees were reminded that only drinks in cups with lids and straws are allowed and must be stored properly.

Observed live roaches in facility during inspection. Roaches observed on counter top in front kitchen and on floors and walls in back kitchen area. Corrective Action: PIC is aware of ongoing roach issue and has contacted licensed commercial pest control company for immediate treatment. Monthly pest control records were verified. Management was instructed to increase treatment frequency to every 2 weeks until issue is resolved. Documentation is required. This will be rechecked by Health Dept.

Observed single use cups stored in unprotected dispensers without proper covers in several locations throughout kitchen. Cups are also being overfilled in dispensers so that covers cannot be installed on top for protection.
Corrective Action: PIC was notified. Employees were assigned to remove excess cups in all dispensers and cover these units with aluminum foil for protection until proper cup dispenser covers can be ordered. This will be rechecked.

Observed build up of hash brown liquids on bottom of front reach in cooler during inspection. Corrective Action: Discussed with PIC cleaning and sanitizing bottom of reach in cooler. Hash brown containers should be placed in a pan to prevent leakage into cooler in the future.

Observed black buildup on gaskets of walk-in cooler and several reach in coolers throughout kitchen during inspection. Corrective Action: PIC was notified. Employees were assigned to clean and sanitize all gaskets onsite. This should be done regularly to prevent buildup.

Observed improper hot holding of potentially hazardous, TCS foods below 135 degrees during inspection. Multiple pans of grits held at 112 and 113 degrees in steam well at back kitchen area. Corrective Action: CFSM was notified. Grits were found to be greater than 4 hours old and were discarded. Employees were educated on monitoring of all hot hold food temps to ensure 135 degrees or greater at all times.

Observed unapproved employee drinks without lids and straws stored in kitchen. Bottled drink stored at waitress station. Open coffee cup stored over cookline. Corrective Action: CFSM was notified. All unapproved employee drinks were discarded. Employees were reminded that only drinks in cups with lids and straws are allowed and must be stored properly.

Observed no test strips provided for quat ammonia food contact sanitizer. Corrective Action: CFSM was notified. Sanitizer strips will be ordered asap. This will be rechecked

Observed employee food items stored in reach-in coolers with customer foods during inspection. Corrective Action: CFSM was notified. All employee food items were relocated to designated cooler areas labeled for this purpose.

observed ice machine interior with black and pink build up. CA: discussed cleaning procedures with pic-health dept. will re-check (will have professionally serviced/cleaned before re-check

Observed sliced and diced tomatoes stored in containers of water in cooler. CA: discussed food storage with pic-pic discarded tomatoes

Observed ice buildup throughout the entire outside of the make table beside the grill. CA: discussed repairing/removing ice buildup and servicing and cleaning cooler with pic

Observed cardboard used throughout facility. CA: discussed removing all cardboard with pic

Observed build up on bottom of cooler with hash brown liquids and several areas with grease build up. CA: discussed cleaning procedures with pic

Observed dry storage room floor/shelving with accumulation of dust/debris and clutter. CA: discussed cleaning/organizing and removing clutter with pic

Observed hole in wall in dry storage room. CA: discussed repairing wall with pic

Observed dust build up on filters in dry storage and on ice machine. CA: discussed cleaning filters and vents with pic

Observed TCS foods held above 41 degrees F in several cooler locations-thermometers reading high in both coolers. CA: discussed cold holding with pic-pic moved food to another location while coolers are repaired/serviced

Observed chili hot holding below 135 degrees F in steam well on right. CA: discussed hot holding with pic-pic reheated chili on stove top to above 165 degrees F (pic will monitor temperature setting on steam well)

Observed ice machine interior with black and pink build up. CA: discussed cleaning procedures with pic-health dept. will re-check (will have professionally serviced/cleaned before re-check

Observed back door not closing properly. CA: discussed door with pic-pic will have it serviced/repaired

Observed waffle batter in reach in cooler held above 41 degrees F (52 degrees F) and ice buildup on interior of cooler. CA: discussed cold holding with pic-pic moved batter to another reach in cooler until repaired and re-checked

Observed potentially hazardous TCS foods being cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed multiple TCS foods (chicken, sausage patty, hamburger patty) in cooler located beside main grill line being cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. CA: PIC discarded all TCS foods held above 41 degrees Fahrenheit and will have cooler serviced. This will be rechecked by the Health Department.

Observed ice machine interior with black and pink build up. CA: discussed cleaning procedures with pic-health dept. will re-check

Observed tables wiped with cleaner/degreaser. CA: discussed with pic-employees went to back area and found the correct sanitizer in spray bottle for wiping tables.

Observed live roaches in kitchen on left side under soda machine cabinet. CA: Discussed pest control frequency with PIC and cleaning kitchen with pic PIC will contact pest control service for increased treatment frequency. Pest control treatment will be verified by the Health Department.

Observed reach in cooler holding TCS foods above 41 degrees F and door not sealing properly, reach in cooler with batter mix with ice build up on top interior holding batter above 41 degrees F CA: discussed repairing equipment with pic-cooler repairman (from waffle house-Skip) come to facility and was working on cooler during inspection-cooler to be re-inspected by health department.

Observed grease build up throughout kitchen, around grill, on grill vents, under equipment/coolers, inside of coolers, cooler gaskets, inside drawers under grill storing pans and utensils. CA: discussed cleaning procedures/frequency with pic-pic will clean

Observed personal food items in reach in cooler not separated and labeled along with jars of jelly/jam in walk in cooler not from approved source. CA: discussed personal items must be labeled and kept in container for personal use only separated from facility food with pic

Observed potentially hazardous TCS foods being cold held at greater than 41 F. Observed TCS foods in prep top cooler located in main kitchen area being cold held above 41 F. CA: All foods located in prep top cooler had been held above 41 F for less than 4 hours. PIC moved out of temp TCS foods to walk in cooler to be properly cooled. Discussed using time as a public health control for TCS food items stored in broken prep top cooler. PIC will use time for all TCS foods stored in prep top cooler until unit is repaired or replaced. Cooler will be rechecked by the Health Department before unit can be used without using time as a public health control.

Observed hot water sanitizing dishmachine final rinse not reaching proper temperature. Observed internal temperature at 148-150 via dishwashing thermometer after multiple cycles. CA: Discussed proper final rinse temperatures for dishmachine with PIC. PIC will have dishmachine repaired to ensure it reaches a final rinse temp of 180 F at manifold and 160 F internally. PIC will obtain thermometer to measure final rinse temps of dishmachine and ensure dials are calibrated properly. PIC will manually wash dishes at 3 compartment sink until dishmachine has been repaired. Dishmachine will be rechecked by the Health Department prior to being used.

Observed live roach in kitchen. CA: Discussed pest control frequency with PIC. PIC will contact pest control service for increased treatment frequency. Pest control treatment will be verified by the Health Department.

Observed accumulation of residue on floor under shelving in main kitchen area due to poor drainage and lack of sealing/ caulking at base of counters. CA: Discussed having trim at base of counters repaired and/or replaced and sealed with caulk to prevent water accumulation under counter with PIC. Discussed having nearby cooler and drink machines serviced and or repaired to prevent possible leaks. PIC will have floor properly cleaned and will work with maintenance to ensure area is able to be cleaned properly. Area will be rechecked by the Health Department.

Observed potentially hazardous TCS foods cold held at greater than 41 F. Observed TCS foods across multiple coolers being cold held above 41 F. CA: PIC discarded all TCS foods not held at 41 F or below. All TCS foods that had been out for less than 4 hours were moved to working coolers in order to be properly cooled. PIC contacted maintenance in order to get coolers serviced. PIC will use time as a public health control on TCS foods stored in prep top coolers until coolers are serviced. All broken coolers will be rechecked by the Health Department. Staff was instructed not to use broken coolers for TCS foods until rechecked by Health Department.

Person in charge not performing duties: observed multiple risk factor violations during inspection. CA: Discussed all risk factor violations with PIC. All violations observed during inspection were corrected on site. CFSM will re-train all staff on food safety practices such as: proper cold holding temperatures, cleaning food contact surfaces and date marking.

Observed buildup of food residue on dishes that had been previously cleaned. Observed slime buildup on the interior of multiple ice machines. CA: Discussed dishwashing procedures and cleaning frequency of food contact surfaces with PIC. PIC will educate employees on proper dish cleaning procedure. PIC will have ice machines cleaned and increase cleaning frequency.

Observed multiple food items stored past disposal date marked on containers. CA: Discussed proper date marking and disposition procedures with PIC. PIC will educate staff on proper date marking and disposition.

Observed live roaches in kitchen. CA: Discussed pest control frequency with PIC. PIC will contact pest control service for increased treatment frequency. Pest control treatment will be verified by the Health Department.

Observed multiple coolers across facility cold holding at greater than 41F. Observed multiple torn cooler gaskets across facility. Observed walk in and reach in coolers not sealing properly. CA: Discussed having coolers serviced and gaskets repaired with PIC. All coolers will be rechecked by the Health Department.