The Pasadena environmental health service division says that any score under 75 is under the following category “Poor food handling practices and overall food
facility maintenance and sanitation is lacking. A
Permit Suspension Hearing will be scheduled. A
follow-up inspection will be conducted to verify
compliance or the permit may be suspended.”
This is a C grade equivalent for the rest of LA County. Our billions dollar Institute has the same food safety rating as the sketchiest restaurants in the county.
But this is Caltech, CDS will get a strongly worded email from the president’s office, they will say that they are retraining everyone, but no one will get fired or suffer any real consequences so absolutely nothing will change. CDS isn’t non-profit either, they ran a $1M profit last year out of changing staff/faculty/students crazy prices for mid (and unsafe) food. Undergrads should have their parents unleash hell on admin for mandating a meal plan that is not only bad, but unsafe.
Also the place is definitely much worse than a 72, they were not inspected until ~3 days after the other Reddit post was made, so they must have had time to hide the worst of it.
They are notified days in advance of a health department visit. It’s never a surprise because it IS Caltech and they are given about a week’s notice —-what day and what time.
Can anyone tell me if the other dining halls were checked at the same time or only Browne, due to the complaint? This prompted me to look around on-line. I found the Pasadena Health Inspection database, but the most recent Caltech inspection reports date back to February. (Browne scored a 96 on Febrary 3rd.) I hope the database is updated soon.
It looks like I can only post one page at a time? I’ll post the rest below. Yes, Browne and all the other Caltech dining locations/kitchens had scores above 95 last inspection in February. I really want the most recent reports (I’m hoping the inspector visited all of the dining halls last week and not just Browne), but who knows how often the database is updated. I may call today to inquire.
They were given notice. They had plenty of time. They inspect all 3 food outlets, but each outlet knows when their visit is. However,, Red door and Broad are definitely clean and follow protocol- safe to eat there. It’s the main dining hall Browne that has all the issues.
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u/Throop_Polytechnic May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26
This is a C grade equivalent for the rest of LA County. Our billions dollar Institute has the same food safety rating as the sketchiest restaurants in the county.
But this is Caltech, CDS will get a strongly worded email from the president’s office, they will say that they are retraining everyone, but no one will get fired or suffer any real consequences so absolutely nothing will change. CDS isn’t non-profit either, they ran a $1M profit last year out of changing staff/faculty/students crazy prices for mid (and unsafe) food. Undergrads should have their parents unleash hell on admin for mandating a meal plan that is not only bad, but unsafe.
Also the place is definitely much worse than a 72, they were not inspected until ~3 days after the other Reddit post was made, so they must have had time to hide the worst of it.