Waffle House 388
Last inspected: Jan 15, 2026
100
Score
Public records show nine inspections at Waffle House 388 stretching back to 2022. The most recent visit was on Jan 15, 2026. Low risk indicates the latest report didn't flag anything that would worry the average customer.
The picture has improved over the last few visits: recent inspections have averaged around four violations, down from roughly nine violations earlier in the record.
The most common issue across all inspections has been “food-contact surface soiled with food debris”, showing up four times.
Restaurants in Lake City average 80, so Waffle House 388 is doing better than most peers. Taken together, the history is a positive one.
9
Inspections
0
Critical latest
0
Major latest
0
Minor latest
Inspection History
Jan 15, 2026
Routine - Food
No violations found.
100
Jan 14, 2026
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 3 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Potentially Hazardous Food Held at Proper Temperature
FL-16
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Hot and Cold Water Available; Adequate Pressure
FL-25
74
Aug 13, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 7 violations
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Required Records Available; Shellstock Tags/Labels
FL-14
Proper Hot and Cold Holding Temperatures
FL-21
Food Contact Surfaces Clean and Sanitized
FL-22
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Hot and Cold Water Available; Adequate Pressure
FL-25
58
Dec 3, 2024
Routine - Food
2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 6 violations
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Food Contact Surfaces Clean and Sanitized
FL-22
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Hot and Cold Water Available; Adequate Pressure
FL-25
Lighting Adequate; Required Shields in Place
FL-36
67
Jul 8, 2024
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 2 major violations. 6 minor violations.
View 11 violations
Food Received at Proper Temperature
FL-12
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Required Records Available; Shellstock Tags/Labels
FL-14
Food Contact Surfaces Clean and Sanitized
FL-22
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Hot and Cold Water Available; Adequate Pressure
FL-25
Equipment Adequate to Maintain Product Temperature
FL-29
Equipment, Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Approved
FL-35
Lighting Adequate; Required Shields in Place
FL-36
Personal Cleanliness
FL-40
35
Jan 4, 2024
Routine - Food
2 major violations. 9 minor violations.
View 11 violations
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Line mixer soiled with dust and old food debris. Rust and mold-like substance in interior bin of ice machine. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. No paper towels at hand wash sink across from office. **Repeat Violation**
31B-02-4
Basic - Cardboard used to line food-contact shelves. Wet cardboard on shelf under hashbrowns of walk-in cooler.
14-05-4
Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Ceiling tiles and vents throughout soiled with dust and grease accumulation. **Repeat Violation**
36-34-5
Basic - Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Ce bucket not stored inverted or protected.
24-05-4
Basic - Floor area(s) covered with standing water. Standing water on floor of walk-in cooler. **Repeat Violation**
36-22-4
Basic - Food stored on floor. Cases of bacon and cheese on floor of walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer. Manager stated delivery truck truck arrived earlier today and moved items to storage shelves. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-38-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Exterior of wall cup holders soiled with dust accumulation. Reach-in cooler gaskets soiled with food debris throughout cookline.
23-03-4
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Cups in wall dispenser not protected or inverted. **Repeat Violation**
25-06-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Standing water in cookline reach-in cooler.
29-49-6
Basic - Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. Wet mop on floor, not hanging to dry.
42-01-4
52
Jul 12, 2023
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 3 major violations. 7 minor violations.
View 11 violations
High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. One live fly on cook-line.
35A-02-6
Intermediate - Commercially processed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked after opening. No date mark on gallon container of milk. Employees did not know when it was opened. Manager voluntarily discarded. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
02C-03-5
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Ice machine interior soiled with mold-like substance. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. No paper towels at handwash sink across from office.
31B-02-4
Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Ceiling tiles throughout soiled with grease and dust accumulations. **Repeat Violation**
36-34-5
Basic - Floor area(s) covered with standing water. Water leaking from wash area resulting in standing water on floor along cookline and dining room. **Repeat Violation**
36-22-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Reach-in cooler gaskets soiled throughout cookline. **Repeat Violation**
23-03-4
Basic - Opened employee beverage container in a cold holding unit with food to be served to customers. Opened employee drink in front reach-in cooler, not segregated or labeled. Manager discarded. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
12B-13-4
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Cups in wall dispenser not inverted or protected from contamination. Coffee filters not protected from contamination. **Repeat Violation**
25-06-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Standing water in bottom of two coolers on cookline. **Repeat Violation**
29-49-6
Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Wet wiping cloth on condiment rack. Manager removed to dirty linens collection. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
21-12-4
45
Jan 30, 2023
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 3 major violations. 12 minor violations.
View 16 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking. Eggs over grill not time-marked. Operator stated they were brought out 35 minutes prior and marked the time. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
03F-02-5
Intermediate - Commercially processed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked after opening. Two 1-gallon containers of milk with no date mark in front reach-in cooler. Manager voluntarily discarded. **Corrected On-Site**
02C-03-5
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Tea dispenser nozzle soiled. White board of ice machine soiled with black, mold-like substance. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Bottle of clear liquid with no label on cook-line. Manager stated it was sanitizing solution of bleach and water, and labeled the bottle. **Corrected On-Site**
41-17-4
Basic - Current Hotel and Restaurant license not displayed. Displayed license expired. Unable to locate current license.
50-09-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee opened water bottle on back prep table. Manager discarded. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Rusty screws retain white board in ice machine. **Repeat Violation**
14-11-5
Basic - Floor area(s) covered with standing water. Standing water under back prep table and cooks line. **Repeat Violation**
36-22-4
Basic - In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Knife and sharpening steel stored between equipment cases on cook-line.
10-17-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Reach-in cooler gaskets soiled throughout kitchen. Back and upper plates around nozzles of soda machine soiled. **Repeat Violation**
23-03-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid. Right lid of dumpster open.
33-16-4
Basic - Opened employee beverage container in a cold holding unit with food to be served to customers. Employee drinks in first reach-in cooler. Manager moved. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-13-4
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Cups in wall dispenser not inverted or protected from contamination.
25-06-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Standing water in bottom of reach-in cooler on cook line.
29-49-6
Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Cloth on condiments rack and steam table for removing lids.
21-12-4
Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Ceiling tiles over cook line and customer tables soiled with dust and grease accumulation. **Repeat Violation**
36-34-5
35
Jul 13, 2022
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 1 major violation. 9 minor violations.
View 13 violations
High Priority - Heat strip failed to turn black to indicate the sanitization temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit was achieved on the dish surface and/or high temperature holding thermometer did not reach 160F. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired. Thermometer was ran inside machine twice and thermometer read 149-150°F. Operator set up Three compartment sink.
22-57-6
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. pork chops (45F - Cold Holding) operator stated items were prepped previous day, items were placed in reach in cooler from walk in cooler. Reach in cooler door was left opened. Employee pushed food item to the back of cooler and closed the door. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. Raw shell eggs on cooks line. Operator stated eggs were brought out 45 minutes previously, operator time stamped 9-1. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
03F-02-5
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Reach in cooler interior bottom of cooler with orange juice and milk. Interior of ice machine white plate at the bottom corners soiled. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Multiple tiles throughout cooks line soiled.
36-34-5
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Beverage next to drink dispenser on shelf above single service items. Employee discarded. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. 2 containers of coffee creamer in reach in cooler above pickles. Operator stated they are employees, he moved items to the bottom. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
08B-49-4
Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Wooden cutting board with deep cut marks at Three compartment sink. Rusted nail holding white plate up in ice machine. Shelves in reach in cooler near the office on cooks line that has rust pitted the surface. Dish machine continues to run when cycles are fully ran through, operator stated maintenance has ordered a part to fix dish machine.
14-11-5
Basic - Floor area(s) covered with standing water. Under cooks line and dry storage shelves. **Repeat Violation**
36-22-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Reach in cooler drawers gaskets are soiled. Fan guard in walk in cooler soiled. Around the soda nozzle dispensers. **Repeat Violation**
23-03-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid. **Repeat Violation**
33-16-4
Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Box of tomatoes above fully cooked sliced ham and ham cubes. Operator moved unwashed produce with other unwashed produce and raw meats. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-17-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Gloves on food in walk in cooler. Operator moved gloves. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
37
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Waffle House 388 last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Waffle House 388 on file is from Jan 15, 2026. The public record contains nine inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Waffle House 388?
Across the inspection record, “food-contact surface soiled with food debris” has been cited four times, more than any other issue at Waffle House 388.
How does Waffle House 388 compare to other restaurants in Lake City?
Waffle House 388 most recently scored 100 out of 100, which is higher than the Lake City average of 80.
Has Waffle House 388's inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at Waffle House 388 have averaged around four violations per visit, down from roughly nine earlier in the record.
What does a low risk rating mean?
A low risk rating at Waffle House 388 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 Waffle House 388 inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Waffle House 388 is inspected around three times per year on average.
Nearby Restaurants