A local restaurant closure continues after operators failed to provide a sanitary environment and food fit for human consumption.
Buffet King, located at 4101 E. 42nd St., scored 66 out of 100 during a routine inspection conducted by the Ector County Health Department on Friday, and failed a subsequent inspection on Monday morning. Any restaurant that does not have a score of 70 or above is required to close until they can pass another inspection. The health department did not provide a score for the inspection on Monday.
According to our partners at CBS7, the low score from the health department came because of insect issues, as well as food temperature problems. A food inspection report produced by the health department detailed that the business will remain closed as of Monday due to problems with roaches and flies that need to be addressed before serving food to the public.
During routine inspections last year, the restaurant scored 73 in December, 100 in July and 81 in June.
Gino Solla, director of the county’s health department, said restaurants like Buffet King are inspected about four times annually. He said the department typically sees fewer than six restaurant operators throughout the year that receive enough demerits that they have to shut down operations.
“It doesn’t happen very often,” Solla said. “With the influx of people coming in and the hardship some of the restaurateurs are having getting crews fully staffed, that may cause it to happen more frequently.”
Solla said Buffet King has the option to correct the demerits and potentially reopen if they score appropriately.
