Bringing transparency to restaurant kitchens

Only the most fastidious are likely to look up the health inspection records of restaurants before deciding on a place to dine. And even if they are curious enough to look, actually finding those records could be a chore, since they’re often buried deep within a government agency website. CleanScores provides a hassle-free alternative for hygiene conscious diners in San Francisco. Look up the name of a restaurant on CleanScores’s website and the first thing you’ll see is the score awarded to the eatery during its most recent health inspection. In addition to listing health code violations (ranging from major to minor), there’s even a graph comparing scores during its three most recent inspections, along with a form for visitor comments. Although CleanScores didn’t want to share how or if they intend to make money, a revenue model based on advertising seems like an obvious choice. The cut-to-the-chase rating service is one more example of what our sister site trendwatching.com has labelled transparency tyranny. Companies, governments, thought leaders and others now routinely have their actions scrutinized and evaluated by anyone able to post their opinions online. And public records add a valuable extra layer of information. Millions of visitors regularly check out online reviews of the products or services they’re considering consuming. Which leaves no place to hide for the incompetent, but ad revenues for those willing to publish rants, raves and inspection records. Spotted by: Bill McMahon