Scores on Doors Overview

Tthe Scores on Doors scheme is run as a joint venture between the NSW Food Authority and local councils.

According to the NSW Food Authority’s web site the goal is to:

“Scores on Doors allows the public to know how well food businesses are complying with food safety and hygiene requirements. The program requires participating businesses to display a certificate showing a star rating ranging from three stars, indicating a ‘good’ level of food safety compliance, to five stars, indicating an ‘excellent’ level of food safety compliance.”

So these blogs will be covering the topics of:

–        How does Scores on Doors Work?

–        What is the scoring system for Scores on Doors?

–        What are the problems with Scores on Doors?

–        What is good about Scores on Doors?

–        How badly can you fail and still pass?

–        Is a restaurant with 3-stars Scores on Doors safe to eat at?

–        Would my kitchen pass Scores on Doors?

–        Scores on Doors and temperature

–        Scores on Doors and hand washing

–        How can Scores on Doors be improved?

If you haven’t guessed by those topics, we are against Scores on Doors as it is. We think the concept is great. As a consumer it is great to know which restaurants are safe to eat at and which ones are pushing the legal boundaries.

Scores on Doors

Our problem is with the final outcome. A restaurant will end up with:

–        5 stars = Excellent “The business has achieved the highest level of compliance with food safety standards.”

–        4 stars = Very good – “The business has very good food safety practices in place. Some minor areas where standards were not met will need to be addressed.”

–        3 stars = Good – “The business has a good standard of food safety compliance. A number of areas, although not serious, need to be corrected.”

It would also imply that there are 2 and 1 star restaurants that are below average – but there aren’t. Below 3 stars is a failure.

But here’s the big question – would you eat at a 3-star restaurant?

The first step is to look at how Scores on Doors works.

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