Food Hygiene Ratings in Swale

1,227 food businesses inspected. Average rating: 4.8 out of 5. 83.7% rated "very good".

1,227
Businesses
4.8/5
Average Rating
15
Rated 0 or 1
83.7%
Rated 5/5

Rating distribution

Very Good83.7%998
Good11.4%136
Satisfactory3.4%40
Improvement Needed0.3%4
Major Improvement1.0%12
Urgent Improvement0.3%3

Business types

Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen25020.4%
Retailers - other19916.2%
Other catering premises18615.2%
Pub/bar/nightclub13911.3%
Takeaway/sandwich shop1068.6%
Mobile caterer1048.5%
Caring Premises967.8%
School/college/university856.9%

Food hygiene ratings in Swale are assessed under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS), operated by the Food Standards Agency in partnership with local authorities. Every food business that handles, stores, prepares, or sells food is inspected by trained environmental health officers. Ratings run from 0 (urgent improvement necessary) to 5 (very good). The inspection covers hygienic food handling, the physical condition of the premises, and how food safety is managed.

The source snapshot contains 1,227 registered food businesses for Swale. Of these, 1,193 have been rated under the FHRS. The area performs well above the national average, with 83.7% of businesses achieving the top rating of 5. The average rating across the authority is 4.8 out of 5. The snapshot contains 15 businesses rated 0 or 1, meaning they required urgent or major improvement to meet food hygiene standards.

If you are eating out in this area, look for the green FHRS sticker displayed at the entrance of food premises. Businesses rated 3 or above are generally considered satisfactory, but a rating of 5 gives the strongest assurance. If a business has a low rating, it does not necessarily mean the food is unsafe right now, as improvements may have been made since the last inspection, but it does indicate that significant issues were found.

Source snapshot retrieved: July 26, 2026. Ratings may have changed since retrieval; verify with the linked authority.

Lowest rated establishments

NameAddressRatingDate
BlondiesME10 2QB0Nov 26, 2025
Favorite Chicken And RibsME12 1AF0Apr 10, 2026
Happy ChefME10 1AW0Jun 04, 2026
0,10,20Halfway Petting Farm & Danley Marshes RidinME12 8XX1Oct 28, 2025
4 Continents Stores LtdME9 7NU1Jul 04, 2025
A2 Food StoreME10 4SG1Feb 04, 2026
AHIA FoodsME10 4PD1Feb 10, 2026
B And M Retail LtdME11 5AR1Jan 30, 2025
Costcutter MinsterME12 3LR1Oct 15, 2025
Last Stop StoreME13 8PE1Jun 03, 2025
Red Snack ShackME10 4PB1Jul 28, 2025
Sandhu Fresh FryME12 1DS1Nov 24, 2025
The Queens Head PubME13 9BH1Mar 05, 2026
TZ Food Store LtdME10 2AR1Oct 22, 2025
U SaveME12 1UH1May 26, 2026

Frequently asked questions

How many restaurants in Swale have a 5 rating?+

The source snapshot contains 998 food businesses in Swale with the highest FHRS rating of 5 (Very Good), representing 83.7% of all rated establishments. A rating of 5 means that the business was found to have very good hygiene standards at the time of inspection.

What does a food hygiene rating of 1 mean in Swale?+

A food hygiene rating of 1 means 'Major Improvement Necessary'. This indicates that the food business was found to have significant problems with hygiene standards during its most recent inspection. The business is required to make substantial improvements. While it can remain open, it should be re-inspected to confirm improvements have been made.

How often are food businesses inspected in Swale?+

Inspection frequency in Swale depends on the risk level of the business. High-risk establishments (such as those with previous low ratings) may be inspected every 6 months, while low-risk businesses with a consistent rating of 5 may only be inspected every 2-3 years. The local authority's environmental health team manages the inspection schedule.

Data from official government food safety agencies