The vital role of restaurant health inspections

To measure the impact of restaurant health inspections, the authors compared mean scores and mean numbers of critical violations in a group of restaurants inspected with different frequencies over two years. These establishments were inspected four times in 1987 and three times in 1988, or four times in 1987 and two times in 1988, or three times in 1987 and two times in 1988. Inspection scores decreased significantly among establishments that were inspected four times in 1987 and three times in 1988, as well as among establishments that were inspected four times in 1987 and two times in 1988. Also, the mean number of food temperature violations increased significantly in restaurants inspected less frequently in 1988.