Moldy Food Packages and Rat Droppings: Worst Myrtle Beach Area Restaurant Inspections

By HERE News

Overview of Health Inspections in the Myrtle Beach Area

Myrtle Beach area restaurants are on the radar as certain establishments have not passed their recent routine health inspections with satisfactory results. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control routinely conducts health inspections for restaurants in Myrtle Beach and the surrounding area. Inspections that dated up until February 28, 2024, revealed concerning details about two specific restaurants – Queens Hot Pot and Jupiter Pies.

Queens Hot Pot: 80 Percent Rating

Located at 124 Loyola Drive, Myrtle Beach, Queens Hot Pot was inspected on February 22, 2024. The restaurant had multiple violations that pull down its rating to 80 percent. Soiled surfaces were found in the dish area, with a pitcher also discovered in a hand sink. This violation was promptly corrected.

The inspection further established that raw chicken and beef were stored together in a maketop cooler. Also, raw chicken was stored beside thawing food. An issue, which according to reports, was corrected. Additional violations noted in the inspection include feasting eyes on uncovered food in a walk-in cooler, while cooked sausage and crab legs were held for more extended periods without proper dating. Queens Hot Pot was also found guilty of not having a sneeze guard on their buffet counter and absence of labels indicating when expired food should be discarded. Installed corrective measures have been stated in the report.

The Department of Health requires Queens Hot Pot to have a follow-up inspection within 10 days, and failure to correct the identified violations could lead to a grade downgrading.

Jupiter Pies: 81 Percent Rating

Another restaurant in the spotlight is Jupiter Pies with a location at 9261 Highway 707 Unit B, Myrtle Beach. The pie-specialty restaurant was flagged by the Department of Health for several violations on February 16, 2024. Upon inspection, Jupiter Pies continued to falter with an 81 percent grade. Jupiter Pies was found to have mold growing on food packages; disturbingly, this was not corrected at the time of the inspection. The grim discovery of rat droppings was another violation not addressed. On top of that, an ice machine was found to have a build-up, and clean equipment was stored in soiled containers.

The Department’s inspection also highlighted how the sweet potato pie and tomato pies were prepared and then stored for more than 24 hours without correct date marking. A batch of sweet potato mix was still in storage with a date mark as far back as December 1, 2023. The report stressed that Jupiter Pies must have an onsite follow-up inspection within 10 days and warned that failure to correct these violations could result in a C grade being posted.

Conclusion

These food inspection results highlight the need to maintain strict hygiene standards in restaurants. The health inspectors’ findings indicate a worrying decline in cleanliness and adherence to health guidelines. It’s important for these establishments to prioritize the health of their patrons by ensuring the highest food safety standards.