Planning the perfect date is stressful enough without having to worry about how clean the kitchen is at the restaurant you鈥檙e about to book. You might鈥檝e read great reviews online or been recommended somewhere by a friend but don鈥檛 forget to check the hygiene rating before you book and eat out.
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme rates food businesses on their hygiene standards, based on inspections carried out by 艾叉A片 County Borough Council. Businesses in the area are rated on a scale ranging from 0 which means 鈥榰rgent improvement necessary鈥� to a top rating of 5 which is 鈥榲ery good鈥�.
So, whether you鈥檙e going for a grand gesture and reserving a table somewhere special, or planning on ordering a takeaway for a romantic meal in, make sure you know the hygiene rating first.
Look out for the green and black food hygiene rating stickers displayed on windows and doors. If you can鈥檛 find the sticker, then ask a member of staff or check online at www.food.gov.uk/ratings. You can also report this to the local authority.
Takeaways must also provide information about their food hygiene rating on their flyers /menus.
Richard Bowen, Interim Director of the Food Standards Agency in Wales, said: 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 tell a restaurant鈥檚 hygiene standards by its website or by how romantic the ambience is. But the Food Hygiene Rating tells you what鈥檚 going on behind the scenes, so you should factor that in when deciding where to eat for Valentine鈥檚 Day.鈥�
Make sure you鈥檝e thought of every detail this Valentine鈥檚 Day, including checking the hygiene rating so that your romantic meal doesn鈥檛 make you lose that loving feeling