Darrell's Diner (8)
Last inspected: Mar 25, 2026
90
Score
Darrell's Diner (8) appears in inspection records 10 times, starting in 2022. On Mar 25, 2026, the health department conducted the most recent visit. Low risk means the most recent visit produced few or no significant findings.
The trend has been favorable: violation counts have eased from around six violations to closer to two violations per visit over the last few inspections.
When inspectors have written things up, “walk-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface” has been the most frequent reason, cited eight times.
Among The Villages restaurants, the typical score is 80; Darrell's Diner (8) is comfortably above that bar. The record reflects steady performance over time.
10
Inspections
0
Critical latest
0
Major latest
2
Minor latest
Inspection History
Mar 25, 2026
Complaint Full
2 minor violations.
View 2 violations
Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Unwashed peppers stored over washed and cut onions in walk in cooler. Operator corrected shelves. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-17-4
Basic - Walk-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. **Repeat Violation**
14-17-4
90
Dec 17, 2025
Complaint Full
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Walk-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-12-17: **Time Extended**
14-17-4
95
Oct 13, 2025
Complaint Full
2 major violations. 1 minor violation.
View 3 violations
Intermediate - Menu does not identify which items contain undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. Eggs Benedict with poached eggs **Warning**
02B-01-5
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Cooked rice and cooked ground beef prepared 10/11. Operator dated. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
02C-02-5
Basic - Walk-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. **Warning**
14-17-4
78
Jun 6, 2025
Routine - Food
5 critical violations. 6 minor violations.
View 11 violations
High Priority - Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. 0ppm, Sanitizer tube not connected to machine, employee reconnected tube then primed line, 100ppm. **Corrected On-Site**
22-41-4
High Priority - Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Employee on cooks line touched biscuit with bare hands then placed sausage patty on biscuit also with bare hands, spoke to employee about needing to where gloves or use a utensil rather than bare hands.
09-01-4
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. sausage link (53F - Cold Holding) item in reach in cooler on cooks line, manger stated she had item out of cooler for some orders but had placed it back in cooler. Retemped at 48F. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. pepper soup (126F - Hot Holding) item in steam table, other items over 135F operator turned steam table up and stirred food item. Retemped at 136F. **Corrective Action Taken**
03B-01-6
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Can of sanitizer spray on shelf over bread on cooks line, operator moved can. **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink thermos on shelf over bread on cooks line, employee moved drink. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
12B-07-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Phone and keys on reach in cooler on cooks line, operator moved personal items. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Multiple plastic containers on clean dish rack on cooks line that are cracked. Bulk sugar bin lid is cracked. Cutting board on cooks line with deep cut marks. Shelves in walk in cooler with rust on shelves.
14-11-5
Basic - No copy of latest inspection report available.
51-18-6
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Fan guard in walk in cooler.
23-03-4
Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Bulk container in side storage area.
02D-01-5
35
Mar 20, 2025
Routine - Food
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Walk-in cooler/freezer shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. Walk in cooler shelves rusted. **Repeat Violation** **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-03-20: **Time Extended**
14-17-4
95
Jan 6, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 5 minor violations.
View 7 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. American cheese 56in cooler. Manager moved to bottom of reach in to chill. Due to confusion, cook threw cheese before it could be retemped. Butter pats behind wait staff area 50F, butter pats in fridge in dining are 53F. Manager states just put out 30 mins ago. Placed in freezer to rapid chill. Second temp 43F at 10:13 am. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - No plan review submitted and approved - renovations were made or are in progress. Must submit plans and plan review application to DBPR H and R Plan Review office located at 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1011. Plans must be submitted AND approved within 60 days. The direct link to the Plan Review page is https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/plan-review/. Refrigeration unit with customer stored food in dining area, not on plans. **Warning**
51-16-7
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink in shelf over reach in cooler in use. Employee moved. Employee drink on table next to customer product. **Warning**
12B-07-4
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Employee food in reach in cooler over customer food to include single serve yogurt containers as well as water bottles. Discussed segregating food with manager. **Warning**
08B-49-4
Basic - Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Floors have build up of food debris and grease underneath equipment in kitchen. **Warning**
36-73-4
Basic - Unpackaged food in an unprotected holding unit in a customer/nonsecure area. Refrigerator with customer food in dining room. Not secured and able to accessed by the public. **Warning**
08B-63-4
Basic - Walk-in cooler/freezer shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. Walk in cooler shelves rusted. **Repeat Violation** **Warning**
14-17-4
61
Mar 4, 2024
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 minor violation.
View 2 violations
High Priority - Employee touched cloth and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee wiped gloves on cloth, touched clean plate
12A-28-4
Basic - Walk-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. **Repeat Violation**
14-17-4
82
Oct 16, 2023
Routine - Food
1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris. Cutting board on reach in cooler by slicer.
22-02-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee beverage stored on top of food container on the bottom shelf of prep table. Employee removed. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - No Heimlich maneuver/choking sign posted.
51-13-4
Basic - Walk-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. **Repeat Violation**
14-17-4
78
Mar 29, 2023
Routine - Food
1 major violation. 2 minor violations.
View 3 violations
Intermediate - - From initial inspection : Intermediate - No chemical test kit provided when using sanitizer at three-compartment sink/warewashing machine or wiping cloths. Lactic acid test strips **Repeat Violation** - From follow-up inspection 2023-03-29: **Time Extended**
16-37-1
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Employee wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. 2 employees wearing watches in cook line area - From follow-up inspection 2023-03-29: **Time Extended**
13-07-4
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Walk-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. **Repeat Violation** - From follow-up inspection 2023-03-29: **Time Extended**
14-17-4
82
Oct 24, 2022
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 7 violations
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Food Received at Proper Temperature
FL-12
Required Records Available; Shellstock Tags/Labels
FL-14
Potentially Hazardous Food Held at Proper Temperature
FL-16
Proper Sanitizer Contact Time and Concentration
FL-33
Plumbing Maintained; Sewage Disposal
FL-51
55
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Darrell's Diner (8) last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Darrell's Diner (8) on file is from Mar 25, 2026. The public record contains 10 inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Darrell's Diner (8)?
Across the inspection record, “walk-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface” has been cited eight times, more than any other issue at Darrell's Diner (8).
How does Darrell's Diner (8) compare to other restaurants in The Villages?
Darrell's Diner (8) most recently scored 90 out of 100, which is higher than the The Villages average of 80.
Has Darrell's Diner (8)'s inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at Darrell's Diner (8) have averaged around two violations per visit, down from roughly six earlier in the record.
What does a low risk rating mean?
A low risk rating at Darrell's Diner (8) means inspectors found minimal or no significant issues at the most recent visit. Most facilities at this tier have a clean recent inspection report.
How often is Darrell's Diner (8) inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Darrell's Diner (8) is inspected around three times per year on average.
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