We all like an evening out at our favorite restaurant, but while you're looking at the menu, you might not think about what goes on behind the scenes.
Helen Pratt is one diner who takes notice when she goes out to eat.
She says she wants to know the restaurant's health rating. "It is very important. you have to know your food is clean and that is sanitary for you to eat it," says Pratt.
And Charlie Agnew agrees, "If they don't have a good inspection score, they won't get my money."
That's why restaurant managers and business owners take notice when Donna Cadwell enters the room. Cadwell, an inspector with Bibb County's Environmental Health Department, says when she goes into restaurants, they are looking at how they handle the food.
This day, the Chen's Wok on Northside Drive is receiving a surprise inspection.
Twice a year, Cadwell says, Bibb County's six inspectors check up on each of the nearly 600 restaurants there.
Cadwell has almost three decades experience making sure businesses like Chen's comply with Georgia state food code.
Inspectors have to be knowledgeable and they receive in house training, ride along with inspectors and complete a course through the Food and Drug Administration.
Restaurants scoring lower than a 69 receive a "U."
Cadwell says, "When we see a violation, we correct it on the spot."
Her boss, county environmental Health Manager Rick Craft says the score is an overall reflection of the restaurant.
Craft says, "The number should tell you what the facility was doing at the time of our visit. It represents several different things like the cleanliness of the facility, the safe food handling of the facility and how well overall the managers are imparting the knowledge of safe food handling to the staff.
Cadwell presents Chen's Wok's grade to manager My Vilayvong, and it is a 97.
Vilayvong says he takes food safety and his restaurant's score seriously. "It is important. This is our livelihood. Our customer is the ultimate boss. If you can't please them, who else can you please? You will be out of business, " says Vilayvong.
For more information, log on to this website for restaurant ratings in your county: https://dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health-inspections