Lake Wales — Food Safety Records: DBPR & FDACS

Overview

Lake Wales, Florida has 142 food establishments with 1,293 inspections on record. The pass rate is 90.9%, above the state average of 86%. Inspections average 3.4 violations per visit.

Largest fine: $400 assessed to Market Cafe in Lake Wales on December 15, 2025.

Data from Florida DBPR (restaurants) and FDACS (retail food). Updated May 2026.

142Facilities
1,293Total Inspections
0Closures 2026
90.9%Pass Rate
3.4Avg Violations

Most-Inspected Facilities

BusinessInspectionsViolationsClosures
Grriffins Restaurant Dining Sports Bar-banquet 41 222 6
Beef 'o' Brady's 40 330 2
Vinny's Smoke-n-grill 26 130 2
Woodys BBQ 23 171 1
Cherry Pocket Steak N Seafood Shak 33 168 1

Lake Wales Restaurants: Comparison to Florida State Averages

Lake Wales 90.9% Pass Rate 90.9%
Florida Average 86% Pass Rate 86%
Lake Wales 3.4 Avg Violations / Inspection 3.4
Florida Average 4.7 Avg Violations / Inspection 4.7
Lake Wales 0 Closures per 100 Facilities 0
Florida Average 1.37 Closures per 100 Facilities 1.37

Lake Wales Restaurants: Recent Inspections (Last 30 Days)

DateBusinessViolationsResult
Burger King #22451 0 Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Crazy Fish Seafood Shack 5 (1 high) Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Cherry Pocket Steak N Seafood Shak 4 (1 high) Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Kentucky Fried Chicken 3 Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Lake Wales Cheese Shoppe and Deli 1 Call Back - Complied
Holy Cannoli Italian-american Kitchen 0 Call Back - Complied

Lake Wales Restaurants: Most Common Health Violations

CodeViolationCitations
22 Consumer advisory 9,367
08 Proper hand/arm washing 9,118
14 Food contact surfaces 9,110
36 Proper ventilation 6,453
31 Clean multi-use utensils 6,155

Lake Wales Restaurants: Disciplinary Actions & Fines

39Actions on Record
$14,910Total Fines
$403Avg Fine
$1,100Largest Fine
12Facilities Fined

Largest Fines (Past 12 Months)

DateBusinessFineCase
Dec 15, 2025 Market Cafe $400 3--2025070984
Feb 23, 2026 Grriffins Restaurant Dining Sports Bar-banquet $200 3--2025086699
Oct 15, 2025 Ranch Taproom and Coffeehouse $200 3--2025069707
Oct 29, 2025 El Buen Taco LLC $160 3--2025065306

Lake Wales Restaurants: Fire Safety Violations

10Fire Violations
5Facilities Cited

Most Common Fire Safety Issues

IssueCitations
Fire extinguisher in red zone 4
Other fire safety violation 4
Exit blocked or locked 2

Lake Wales Retail Food: FDACS Inspection Records

In addition to restaurants, Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) inspects grocery stores, markets, gas station food sections, and other retail food establishments. Lake Wales has 66 FDACS-regulated facilities with 121 inspections on record and 9 stop-sale orders issued.

66Retail Facilities
121FDACS Inspections
9Stop-Sale Orders

Lake Wales FDACS: Recent Stop-Sale Orders

A stop-sale order prohibits a retail food establishment from selling specific products found to be unsafe, improperly stored, mislabeled, or non-compliant with Florida food code. Products may be embargoed, destroyed, or returned to the distributor.

DateFacilityProductReason
Dunkin-donuts-345745-191167 Brand Name: (Lot #:) FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food: Pro…
Dunkin-donuts-345745-191167 Brand Name: (Lot #:) FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food: Pro…
Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 Brand Name: (Lot #:) FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Sanitary Operations
Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 Brand Name: (Lot #:) FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Sanitary Operations
Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 Brand Name: (Lot #:) FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Sanitary Operations
Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 Brand Name: (Lot #:) FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Sanitary Operations
Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 Brand Name: (Lot #:) FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Sanitary Operations
Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 Brand Name: (Lot #:) FS 500.04; FS 500.172 Unsanitary Equipment.* Sanitary Operations
Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 Brand Name: (Lot #:) FS 500.04; FS 500.172 Unsanitary Equipment.* Sanitary Operations

Browse all FDACS stop-sale order categories →

Lake Wales FDACS: Most Cited Code Violations

CodeViolationCitations
2-501.11 Establishment does not have written procedures for employees to follow when 24
6-501.11 Physical facilities not maintained in good repair 22
5-501.11 Receptacles and waste handling units for refuse, recyclables, and returnables not 18
6-501.12 Physical facilities not cleaned as often as necessary to keep them clean, or cleaning 12
5-501.17 Toilet room used by females not provided with a covered receptacle for sanitary 10

Browse all FDACS violation codes →

Lake Wales Retail Food Chains (FDACS)

ChainLocationsStop-Sale OrdersCitations
Dollar General 4 57 2,871
Publix 2 30 875
Aldi 2 2 310
Citgo 1 41 143
Dollar Tree 1 9 1,084
Family Dollar 1 316 950
Starbucks 1 77 1,170
Circle K 1 102 1,574

All Florida retail food chains →

About FDACS Retail Food Inspections →

Lake Wales: Notable Restaurants

Grriffins Restaurant Dining Sports Bar-banquet

Lake Wales · Most Closures

41 inspections 222 violations 6 closures

Beef 'o' Brady's

Lake Wales · Most Closures

40 inspections 330 violations 2 closures

Vinny's Smoke-n-grill

Lake Wales · Most Closures

26 inspections 130 violations 2 closures

Cherry Pocket Steak N Seafood Shak

Lake Wales · Most Inspected

33 inspections 168 violations 1 closures

Crazy Fish Seafood Shack

Lake Wales · Recently Inspected

31 inspections 137 violations 1 closures

Burger King #22451

Lake Wales · Recently Inspected

12 inspections 26 violations

Lake Wales: Restaurant Chains (DBPR)

ChainLocationsViolationsClosures
McDonalds 3 155 0
Taco Bell 2 139 0
Subway 2 59 0
Wendys 2 203 0
Chipotle 1 1 0
Holiday Inn 1 27 0
Chilis 1 115 0
Hampton Inn 1 23 0
Kfc 1 133 0
Burger King 1 26 0

Lake Wales Restaurant Inspections: FAQ

How many restaurants are in Lake Wales?
Lake Wales, Florida has 142 food establishments tracked by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
What is the restaurant inspection pass rate in Lake Wales?
The current pass rate for food establishments in Lake Wales is 90.9%. The Florida state average is 86%.
What are the most common health violations in Lake Wales?
The most frequently cited violations in Lake Wales are: Consumer advisory, Proper hand/arm washing, Food contact surfaces.
Which restaurant chain has the most locations in Lake Wales?
McDonalds has the most locations in Lake Wales with 3 establishments.
How does Lake Wales compare to the Florida state average?
Lake Wales has a pass rate of 90.9%, which is 4.9 percentage points above the state average of 86%. The average violations per inspection is 3.4 compared to the state average of 4.67.
How often are restaurants inspected in Lake Wales?
Food establishments in Lake Wales have an average of 9.1 inspections on record. Florida DBPR conducts routine inspections based on facility type and risk level.
How much in fines have restaurants in Lake Wales been assessed?
Food establishments in Lake Wales have been assessed $14,910 in fines across 39 disciplinary actions. The average fine is $403 and the largest single fine was $1,100.
How many fire safety violations have been found in Lake Wales restaurants?
10 fire safety violations have been documented across 5 food establishments in Lake Wales. The most common issue is fire extinguisher in red zone.
Are grocery stores and retail food stores in Lake Wales inspected?
Yes. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) inspects retail food establishments — grocery stores, gas station food sections, markets, and convenience stores. Lake Wales, Florida has 66 FDACS-regulated retail food facilities with 121 inspections on record.
How many FDACS stop-sale orders have been issued in Lake Wales?
FDACS has issued 9 stop-sale orders at retail food establishments in Lake Wales. A stop-sale order prohibits a facility from selling specific products found to be unsafe, mislabeled, or non-compliant with Florida food code.

In the News Lake Wales

Lake Wales Restaurants & Food Establishments (140)

Jennings Grocery FDACS Retail

4325 Jennings Fish Camp RD, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet w/Limited Food Service

Lilis Luvianos Taqueria FDACS Retail

19509 HWY 27, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Food Service

J's Smoke Shop & Vapes III FDACS Retail

429 Eagle Ridge DR Unit 206, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Specialty Shop - Hemp

J K Food IV FDACS Retail

4290 N Scenic Hwy, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Convenience Store Limited FS

Struthers Honey FDACS Retail

8024 Rose Ter, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Honey Processor

Vw Kirks Country Store FDACS Retail

3151 Canal RD, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Vended Water

Vw Cvs 00411 FDACS Retail

500 S 11th ST, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Vended Water

Starbucks Coffee (store #85856) FDACS Retail

23270 HWY 27, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Convenience Store Limited FS

Sky Vue Smoke Shop FDACS Retail

104 State Road 60 W, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Specialty Shop - Hemp

Autozone # 2499 FDACS Retail

246 State Road 60 W, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet/Prepackaged/No PHF

Publix # 0097 FDACS Retail

23965 Hwy 27, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Supermarket

Citgo Food Mart FDACS Retail

20500 Hwy 27, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Convenience Store Significant FS AND/OR Packaged Ice

The Hungry Manatee FDACS Retail

525 Reggie RD, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Mobile Vendor

Terry Vending Services INC FDACS Retail

309 SOUTH ACUFF RD, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Catering

Water's Edge Fish Camp Store FDACS Retail

10730 Camp Mack Rd, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Convenience Store Significant FS AND/OR Packaged Ice

River Ranch Country Store FDACS Retail

3200 River Ranch Blvd, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet with Perishables

The Vapor Max FDACS Retail

18110 HWY 27 SUITE 8, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · 140/Specialty Shop - Hemp

Dollar General # 16585 FDACS Retail

3941 N SCENIC HWY, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet with Perishables

Circle K Store #6993 FDACS Retail

15041 Hwy 27, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Convenience Store Significant FS AND/OR Packaged Ice

Rural King #0072 FDACS Retail

1970 State Road 60 E, Lake Wales

FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet w/Limited Food Service