Return of the Detroit restaurant sign ordinance
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An example of what the food safety placards would look like. Screenshot: Courtesy of the city of Detroit
Detroit City Council member Scott Benson is advocating for a new version of his previously rejected food safety proposal that's been in the works for six years and would affect restaurants all across the city.
Why it matters: Benson and supporters believe the new regulations will help educate restaurants about food safety, support compliant businesses and ensure that customers dine with a lower risk of foodborne illness.
- The proposal requires restaurants to post green signs by their entrances showing they're in compliance with health inspection rules, or red if they've been shut down.
Flashback: Benson began working on an ordinance requiring restaurants to publicly post health compliance information in 2018 after a hepatitis A outbreak. The plan was put on hold during the pandemic and reemerged in 2022.
- The proposal required restaurants to post color-coded signs, kind of like the A-B-C grades in New York City.
- The controversial plan was reworked based on widespread industry concerns about how inspection results signs could unfairly affect the livelihood of restaurants. But City Council ultimately voted it down.
The latest: The newest proposal comes after Benson's team brought in well-known local chef Phil Jones to create a pilot program with the city's health department called "Dining with Confidence."
The pilot let restaurants volunteer to put up green signs when they were in compliance with health department safety rules. It drew 250 restaurant participants including Selden Standard, Detroit 75 Kitchen, "mom and pop restaurants," two casinos and others, Jones and Benson told City Council in a committee public hearing Monday.
- The signs have QR codes linking customers to information about city food safety rules.
Between the lines: The biggest change with this new iteration is that the signs are limited to two options: green (in compliance) and red (ordered closed for violations). The 2022 proposal used stoplight colors, including yellow, which indicated that a restaurant had issues to address.
- The purpose of the change is to give restaurants more flexibility to make corrections without getting publicly penalized for making mistakes, a law department representative said.
What they're saying: During the public hearing Monday, chef Omar Mitchell of Table No. 2 said the proposal is "imperative" to help prevent foodborne illnesses and educate the public.
- The Detroit Food Policy Council supports the ordinance, believing it would boost restaurants economically. Executive director Winona Bynum says customers feel more comfortable visiting restaurants visibly practicing food safety.
- Resident Renard Monczunski said more time is needed to assess the proposal and hear what more chefs and servers think about it.
What's next: The ordinance requires approval from City Council that could come as soon as Tuesday.