How Greenville restaurant grades work: A is 88-100 points, B 78-87, C 77 or less. 557 of 612 recent routine inspections earned an A. State: 803-896-0640.
Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Facts on this page come from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, its Understanding Restaurant Inspections page and the SC Food Grades database, searched Oct. 16, 2026. State Retail Food Safety line: 803-896-0640.
Restaurants, school cafeterias, grocery stores and food trucks in Greenville and the rest of Greenville County are inspected by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. Its Retail Food Safety Department inspects about 24,000 retail food places statewide and permits new ones before they open, the department says. After every graded inspection a letter grade decal goes up where customers can see it, and the full reports are public on SC Food Grades.
Who to call
- S.C. Department of Agriculture, Retail Food Safety: 803-896-0640, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, retailfood@scda.sc.gov
- Report a food safety concern: the department’s complaint form
- Look up a grade: SC Food Grades
How the grades work
Inspections are scored on a 100-point scale under Regulation 61-25, the state’s retail food rule. The inspector looks hardest at the five risk factors most often behind foodborne illness, the department’s inspection guide says.
| Grade | Score | What the state says it means |
|---|---|---|
| A | More than 87 points | Food safety practices appeared to meet the regulation |
| B | 78 to 87 points | Food safety practices need improvement |
| C | Less than 78 points | Food safety practices need significant improvement |
The posted grade can differ from the score of the most recent inspection in some circumstances set out in Section 8-403.10 (G) of the regulation, which takes the place’s past compliance into account.
Types of inspection
- Permit inspection: before a place opens to the public.
- Routine inspection: unannounced, one to four times a year depending on the place’s risk category.
- Follow-up inspection: within 10 days of a routine inspection that needs a check.
- Food safety check: after a declared emergency such as a hurricane, or when an owner asks for an ungraded visit.
- Limited scope inspection: during or after a long declared emergency.
What recent inspections show
We counted every inspection in SC Food Grades with a Greenville address dated July 16 through Oct. 14, 2026. Of 612 routine inspections, 557 (91%) earned an A, 48 earned a B and 7 earned a C. Another 344 follow-up inspections in the same period are not in that count.
Chart: grades from routine inspections
Method notes. The figures come from the database’s search by city for “Greenville,” which follows the mailing address, so they include places outside the city limits with a Greenville address, such as stores along White Horse Road and Wade Hampton Boulevard. They cover restaurants, school cafeterias, grocery delis, hotels, food trucks and other permitted places. A grade reflects conditions on the day of one inspection; a later inspection may show a different grade, and a report may take time to appear online. We do not rank or name individual establishments here. Look up any place by name to see its latest grade and the full report.
How to look up a restaurant
- Open SC Food Grades.
- Use Map Search to see places near you, or Advanced Search to search by name, part of an address, city, grade, facility type or dates.
- Click the PDF icon to read the complete report, including each violation the inspector found.
The database keeps inspections from the last three years. Inspections before July 1, 2024, were done by the former S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Rule changes under review
The department is proposing a revised Regulation 61-25 to line up with the current FDA Food Code and held a public forum on Oct. 5 at Greenville Technical College’s Northwest Campus, its regulation update page says. The draft is not yet in force. Separately, a new state law takes effect Oct. 28, 2026, requiring places that sell cooked or ready-to-eat shrimp to give customers a specific disclaimer, according to the department.
What this means for you
- Look for the grade decal near the door; it has to be posted where customers can see it.
- A single grade is a snapshot. Read the report to see what the inspector actually found.
- Nine in 10 routine inspections with a Greenville address this summer earned an A.
- Sick after a meal? See your doctor, then report it to the department at 803-896-0640.
More guides: new businesses in Greenville, farmers markets and things to do this month.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look up a restaurant inspection in Greenville, SC?
Search the restaurant by name or city on SC Food Grades, the state’s free online tool. It shows the grade, the date and the full inspection report for inspections from the last three years.
Who inspects restaurants in Greenville County?
The South Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Retail Food Safety Department, which took over retail food inspections from the state health department on July 1, 2024.
What does a B grade mean on a South Carolina restaurant?
The restaurant scored 78 to 87 points out of 100, and the state says its food safety practices need improvement. Grade A is more than 87 points; Grade C is less than 78.
How often are Greenville restaurants inspected?
One to four times a year, unannounced, depending on the food each place handles and its compliance history. A follow-up inspection comes within 10 days when a routine inspection requires one.
How do I report a restaurant in Greenville?
Contact the S.C. Department of Agriculture’s Retail Food Safety Department at 803-896-0640, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, or retailfood@scda.sc.gov, or use its online complaint form.
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