Orange County stands as an exception in Southern California by not implementing standard letter grade health ratings for restaurants and food establishments. While surrounding counties—including Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino—utilize a highly visible A, B, or C letter grading system, Orange County relies on what is described as an opaque system of hidden certificates and vague online reports.
This regulatory approach leaves local diners without clear information regarding food safety. The lack of transparent ratings directly impacts human health, as outbreaks of foodborne illnesses from pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, and Norovirus have seen escalations. Restaurants with subpar sanitation practices, improper holding temperatures, and unhygienic food preparation spaces can serve as breeding grounds for these preventable diseases.
The push to establish restaurant letter grades in Orange County is not new. In 2008, the Orange County Grand Jury strongly urged the county to mandate highly visible letter grades. However, a key vote against consumer transparency came from current First District Supervisor Janet Nguyen.
At the time of that vote, Supervisor Nguyen defended restaurant owners against public grading. It was later revealed that her husband, Thomas Bonikowski, and her chief of staff, Andrew Do, were co-owners of a Lee’s Sandwiches franchise in Stanton. This establishment, according to the source material, suffered an "atrocious health violation record." Public records also showed that Supervisor Nguyen had received campaign contributions from local restaurant owners with documented poor health inspection records. Andrew Do is currently serving a federal prison sentence for public corruption and bribery.
Advocates argue that a visible letter grade posted in a storefront window serves as an immediate deterrent to negligence, encouraging restaurant management to maintain basic compliance. Peer-reviewed data across neighboring counties demonstrates that the introduction of mandatory letter grades rapidly forces restaurants to improve cleanliness, leading to a direct and measurable decrease in local foodborne illness hospitalizations. Orange County residents, advocates say, deserve the same layer of public health security enjoyed in adjacent counties.
The current Orange County Board of Supervisors has the legislative authority to pass a consumer protection ordinance to implement these ratings. Calls are now being made for the Board to distance itself from what is described as a legacy of self-dealing and to prioritize public safety by scheduling a vote to enforce mandatory, visible letter grade health ratings.
