Citrus County's Dairy Queen Grill & Chill in Crystal River, FL, cited for health code violations

Dairy Queen Grill & Chill in Crystal RiverPhoto byScott La Bee

A Dairy Queen location in Crystal River was recently inspected by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation and cited for several violations related to food protection and employee training requirements, according to state records.

What happened during the inspection?

The Dairy Queen Grill & Chill at 727 N Suncoast Blvd in Citrus County, Florida, received a complaint-based full inspection on May 1st, 2024, resulting in 6 health code violations.

While not requiring an immediate closure, the popular fast-food restaurant was issued two intermediate and four basic violations that required the need for a follow-up inspection.

Food Safety Lapses

Among the basic violations, inspectors found unwashed tomatoes stored over bottled water in the walk-in cooler, creating potential cross-contamination risks. The state authorities also documented improper storage of wet mops and a lack of proper sanitizing solutions for wiping cloths.

Additionally, a leak was observed from piping under the 3-compartment sink, which could lead to further sanitation issues if not addressed promptly.

Management Concerns

More concerning were the intermediate violations citing the lack of a certified food service manager on duty, as well as no records of state-approved employee food safety training for any workers at the time of inspection.

Ratings and Reviews

The restaurant, which holds a respectable 3.8-star rating on Google from 1,186 reviews, received warnings on all violations requiring corrective actions during a follow-up inspection.

While some customers praised the friendly service, others criticized the management and food handling practices.

One reviewer, Andrew Stevens, stated, "The owner/manager has terrible customer service. We had to go around 3 times just to get the order correctly."

Whoever owned the establishment before needs to take over again because the current owner has no idea how to properly run the place.

Another, Meagan O’Neil, reported finding "a hair" in her dessert.

Dirty & very rude employees. Even found a hair in my blizzard, which they overfilled and was melting all over, and only gave us 1 Napkin! Never coming back 🤮💩

Contrastingly, James Hardy, a local guide with over 130 reviews, had a positive take:

A Dairy Queen but the staff is very friendly, and seems to care about doing their job. I flew into the airport next door, walked over for lunch and was happier than my last 5 trips to McDonalds. People take your order, you can get a refill and good service!

- Basic Violations:

• - Unwashed produce stored over ready-to-eat foods
• - Leaking pipe under 3-compartment sink
• - Improperly stored wet mop
• - Improper sanitizer concentration for wiping cloths

- Intermediate Violations:

• - No certified food manager on duty
• - No employee food safety training records

The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation conducts routine inspections of food service establishments to ensure compliance with state sanitation and food safety regulations. While closures were not ordered in this case, the Dairy Queen in Crystal River must follow up on the noted violations to protect public health.

NOTE: Please note that an inspection report, per the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, provides a snapshot of the conditions observed during the inspection. It's essential to recognize that the number of violations noted during an assessment may vary on different days, and a single review may only partially represent the all-around, long-term conditions at the establishment.