Florida DBPR inspectors conducted 399 inspections at 105 chain restaurant brands the week of March 30–April 5, 2026. Chain locations passed at 81.2% — nearly 8 percentage points above the 73.7% pass rate for independent restaurants that same week. Two chain locations were emergency-closed: a Subway franchise in Jacksonville for rodent activity and a Gate-affiliated food operation in Fort Myers.
- Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza posted the highest average violations among chains with 5 or more inspections: 9.2 per visit across 5 inspections, with no location cleared outright.
- Subway led all chains in inspection volume with 26 locations inspected — and was the only nationally recognized chain to receive an emergency closure order this week.
- Domino's, Waffle House, and Firehouse Subs posted the lowest average violations among frequently inspected chains: 1.2, 1.3, and 1.9 respectively, with zero warnings or closures across all locations.
FLORIDA. Of the 2,216 DBPR inspections conducted statewide the week of March 30, roughly one in six — 399 — were at chain restaurant locations. Those 399 visits covered 105 distinct brands and produced a pass rate of 81.2%, compared to 73.7% for independent restaurants inspected during the same period. The 7.5-point gap reflects a pattern that holds consistently in Florida data: chain locations, with their standardized procedures and corporate oversight, tend to clear inspections at higher rates than independents.
The week's highest-volume chain by inspection count was Subway, with 26 Florida locations visited. Subway averaged 2.6 violations per inspection, with 16 passing outright and 6 receiving warnings. One Subway location — Subway #31891 on New Kings Road in Jacksonville — was emergency-closed April 1 for rodent activity. It was that location's second lifetime closure. Subway is the most-inspected chain in Florida's DBPR system, and individual location performance varies considerably from the brand average.
Dunkin' was second in volume with 24 inspections, averaging 4.4 violations per visit — among the higher averages for large chains this week. Three Dunkin' locations received warnings. No closures. Taco Bell and Wendy's each had 17 inspections. Taco Bell averaged 4.6 violations with all 16 passing locations and one warning-free; Wendy's averaged 2.8 with 16 passing outright.
Chains With the Highest Average Violations
Among chains with five or more inspections during the week, Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza recorded the highest average: 9.2 violations per inspection across 5 locations. No Anthony's location was cleared outright — every inspection resulted in a warning or administrative action. Ruby Tuesday averaged 5.7 violations across 7 inspections with one warning. Tijuana Flats (5 inspections, 4.8 avg) and Taco Bell (17 inspections, 4.6 avg) followed.
| Chain | Inspections | Avg Violations | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza | 5 | 9.2 | 0 |
| Ruby Tuesday | 7 | 5.7 | 1 |
| Tijuana Flats | 5 | 4.8 | 0 |
| Taco Bell | 17 | 4.6 | 0 |
| Dunkin' | 24 | 4.4 | 3 |
| Panda Express | 5 | 4.4 | 2 |
| Hungry Howie's | 5 | 4.2 | 0 |
| First Watch | 6 | 3.5 | 1 |
Chains With the Best Records This Week
At the other end of the spectrum, several high-volume chains posted clean weeks. Domino's averaged 1.2 violations across 6 inspections with zero warnings or closures. Waffle House matched nearly that at 1.3 violations across 6 locations — all passing with no further action. Firehouse Subs cleared 8 inspections at an average of 1.9 with no adverse outcomes. Burger King, KFC, and Chili's each averaged 2.0 violations across 6 inspections with no warnings. Chick-fil-A went 8-for-8 — all locations clearing inspections — averaging 3.1 violations, below the chain average of 3.6 for the week.
| Chain | Inspections | Avg Violations | Warnings/Closures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domino's | 6 | 1.2 | 0 |
| Waffle House | 6 | 1.3 | 0 |
| Firehouse Subs | 8 | 1.9 | 0 |
| Burger King | 6 | 2.0 | 0 |
| KFC | 6 | 2.0 | 0 |
| Chili's | 6 | 2.0 | 0 |
| Culver's | 8 | 2.6 | 0 |
| Wendy's | 17 | 2.8 | 0 |
| Chick-fil-A | 8 | 3.1 | 0 |
Chain Closures This Week
Two chain-affiliated locations were emergency-closed during the week. Subway #31891 in Jacksonville was shut April 1 for rodent activity — its second lifetime closure across 23 inspections and 156 total violations on record. The second closure involved a food service operation at Gateway Golf in Fort Myers, affiliated with Gate, closed March 30 for rodent activity. It was its first closure, with 130 violations across 25 inspections.
Two chain closures out of 399 inspections represents a 0.5% emergency closure rate for chains that week — compared to 14 non-chain closures out of 1,817 independent restaurant inspections, a rate of 0.77%. The difference is consistent with the broader statewide pattern in Florida DBPR data.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How did Florida chain restaurants perform on health inspections the week of March 30, 2026?
- Florida DBPR inspected 399 chain restaurant locations across 105 brands the week of March 30–April 5, 2026. Chain locations passed at a rate of 81.2%, compared to 73.7% for independent restaurants. Chain locations averaged 3.6 violations per inspection versus 5.4 for independents. Two chain locations were emergency-closed — Subway #31891 in Jacksonville and a Gate-affiliated operation in Fort Myers, both for rodent activity.
- Which chain had the most Florida inspections the week of March 30, 2026?
- Subway led all chains with 26 Florida locations inspected the week of March 30, 2026, averaging 2.6 violations per visit. Dunkin' was second with 24 inspections at 4.4 average violations. Taco Bell and Wendy's each had 17 inspections.
- Which chain restaurant had the worst inspection record in Florida that week?
- Among chains with five or more inspections, Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza averaged 9.2 violations per inspection across 5 locations — the highest of any chain that week. No location passed outright. Ruby Tuesday (5.7 average, 7 inspections) and Tijuana Flats (4.8 average, 5 inspections) followed.
- Which chain restaurants had perfect inspection records in Florida the week of March 30, 2026?
- Several chains with five or more inspections recorded zero warnings and zero closures that week. Domino's averaged 1.2 violations across 6 inspections, Waffle House averaged 1.3 across 6, and Firehouse Subs averaged 1.9 across 8 — all with no adverse outcomes. Chick-fil-A, Culver's, Burger King, KFC, and Chili's also cleared all locations inspected that week with no warnings.