Denny's
Last inspected: Oct 15, 2025
74
Score
The health department has logged eight inspections at Denny's, the earliest from 2022. The most recent visit was on Oct 15, 2025. Medium risk typically reflects a handful of issues that inspectors wrote up but didn't deem critical.
Violation counts have held steady across recent visits, averaging around four violations each.
Looking across the full record, “nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease” is the recurring theme, flagged five times.
Compared to other Winter Haven restaurants (averaging 88), there's room to close the gap. On the whole, the file is mixed but not concerning.
8
Inspections
0
Critical latest
0
Major latest
6
Minor latest
Inspection History
Oct 15, 2025
Complaint Full
6 minor violations.
View 6 violations
Basic - Employee with ineffective hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Server restraint was ineffective hair was in ponytail pass shoulders with hair swaying. Employee placed hair in bun. **Corrected On-Site**
13-02-4
Basic - Light not functioning in area to front walk in freezer entrance
36-62-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Sides of the grills
23-03-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid. Operator closed lid. **Corrected On-Site**
33-16-4
Basic - Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Cook line Operator removed food debris and sanitized area. **Corrected On-Site**
22-16-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Cookline Operator removed standing water, cleaned and sanitized area. **Corrected On-Site**
29-49-6
74
Jul 24, 2025
Complaint Full
5 minor violations.
View 5 violations
Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Operator cleaned and sanitized ice shield. **Corrected On-Site**
22-20-5
Basic - Bathroom facility not clean. In women's restroom 1 of the three stalls. Operator cleaned and sanitized area. **Corrected On-Site**
32-07-5
Basic - Floor area(s) covered with standing water. In the mop sink room near mop sink but not in the mop sink **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
36-22-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Sides of the grill's equipment
23-03-4
Basic - Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. On cook line and salad bar station. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
22-16-4
78
Jan 13, 2025
Routine - Food
4 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Container cup of liquid on top of the cook line. Operator removed cup **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Floor area(s) covered with standing water. In the mop sink room by the mop sink
36-22-4
Basic - Reach-in cooler interior has accumulation of soil residues. In cooler on cook line on the right side
22-16-4
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. No running water on bag of meat in prep sink and removed to the cook line for refrigeration. **Corrected On-Site**
06-01-5
82
Aug 22, 2024
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 minor violation.
View 2 violations
High Priority - Quaternary ammonium sanitizer in bucket not at proper minimum strength. Tested 0ppm replaced and new tested 200 ppm. **Corrected On-Site**
22-40-4
Basic - soiled floors behind grill.
36-10-4
82
Jan 30, 2024
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 3 minor violations.
View 4 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Pooled eggs at 45 degrees. Operator placed ice underneath eggs with new temperature at 42 at 9:14 am. **Corrected On-Site**
03A-02-5
Basic - Food stored on floor. Box of lemons on the floor in walk-in cooler. Operator removed from the floor. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-38-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Cook line underneath grills.
23-03-4
Basic - Reach-in cooler interior have accumulation of soil residues. Cook line
22-16-4
74
Oct 23, 2023
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 4 minor violations.
View 5 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw bacon over nacho mix in walk-in cooler. Operator removed raw bacon to the lower shelf below nacho mix. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Basic - Cove molding at floor/wall juncture broken/missing. **Repeat Violation**
36-03-4
Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Cook line cabinet draws.
14-11-5
Basic - Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. **Repeat Violation**
36-73-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Side of the fryer on the cook line. **Repeat Violation**
23-03-4
70
Feb 28, 2023
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 7 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.
50-17-3
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Dish wrack Cup holders for drinking glasses.
22-02-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Sides of grills and fryers.
23-03-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid.
33-16-4
Basic - Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. All reach in coolers on the cook line.
22-16-4
Basic - Reach-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. In reach in cooler across from hand wash sink on cook line. **Repeat Violation**
14-33-4
Basic - Worn, torn and/or soiled floors/carpeting. On cook line
36-10-4
Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Right above the coffee machine on the cooks line right corner.
36-34-5
Basic - Ice buildup walk-in freezer.
14-69-4
55
Jul 5, 2022
Routine - Food
5 critical violations. 1 major violation. 4 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Ice **Warning**
01B-13-4
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Cookline **Warning**
01B-02-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Poultry breast (55F - Cold Holding); Steak (56F - Cold Holding); Philly (52F - Cold Holding); (52F - Cold Holding); steak (52F - Cold Holding); hamburger (52F - Cold Holding) **Warning**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Pork sausage 122F **Warning**
03B-01-6
High Priority - Presence of insects, rodents, or other pests. 12 small flying insects in woman restroom **Warning**
35A-09-4
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Ranch dressing in walk-in cooler made on sunday **Warning**
02C-02-5
Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Refrigerator drawers Maketable by egg eyes. **Warning**
14-11-5
Basic - Hole in or other damage to wall. Under dishroom **Warning**
36-24-5
Basic - Reach-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. **Warning**
14-33-4
Basic - Stored food not covered. Hamburger in walk-in cooler **Warning**
08B-12-5
35
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Denny's last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Denny's on file is from Oct 15, 2025. The public record contains eight inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Denny's?
Across the inspection record, “nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease” has been cited five times, more than any other issue at Denny's.
How does Denny's compare to other restaurants in Winter Haven?
Denny's most recently scored 74 out of 100, which is lower than the Winter Haven average of 88.
Has Denny's inspection record improved over time?
Results have been roughly steady. Inspections at Denny's have averaged around four violations per visit across the recent record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at Denny's means the most recent inspection turned up a handful of issues that the health department wrote up but did not classify as critical.
How often is Denny's inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Denny's is inspected around two times per year on average.
Nearby Restaurants