License No. 5201967|Public Food Service Establishment|Marion County, FloridaInspected Jul 22, 2026
State of Florida Inspection Record

HOWARD JOHNSON

3951 NW BLITCHTON RD, OCALA, FL 34482

HOWARD JOHNSON has a mixed inspection record — 16 violations in the past year, including 3 high-priority. Not alarming, but worth knowing before you order. The trailing-year record shows 16 violations, including 3 high-priority and 0 Emergency Orders of Closure.

Spotty
52.2
Trailing year of inspections
How this kitchen compares
Against OCALA

Scores higher than 34% of the 506 inspected restaurants in OCALA on the trailing-year record.

52.2
Lowest scoreCity median · 67.0Highest score
Against Marion County

3 high-priority violations on the trailing-year record — below the Marion County average of 3.7.

This kitchen3
County average3.7
Below county average
Computed from the trailing-year records of all inspected restaurants in the same city and county. Official State of Florida inspection data — scores calculated by this site.

The Inspection Record

6 inspections

Full available history. The score uses only the most recent 365 days — older visits are shown for context, not counted.

Visit 01 — Routine - Food
Jul 22, 2026
Disposition
Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Pests & outer openings

Roaches, rodents, flies, or other pests present — or doors and openings that let them in not protected.

High-priority
Chemicals & toxic substances
Repeat — 2nd time

Cleaning chemicals or other toxic substances unlabeled or stored where they can reach food.

High-priority
Handwash sinks & supplies
Repeat — 2nd time

Handwash sink missing, blocked, or used for other purposes, or missing soap, towels, or the handwash sign.

Intermediate
Plumbing & backflow

Plumbing not installed or maintained properly — leaks, mop sink issues, unserviced water filters, or missing backflow prevention.

Basic
Garbage & premises
Repeat — 2nd time

Garbage overflowing or uncovered, or the premises not maintained.

Basic
Source: State of FloridaState inspection document
Visit 02 — Routine - Food
Jan 20, 2026
Disposition
Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Food at unsafe temperature

Food held, cooled, cooked, or reheated outside safe temperatures, letting dangerous bacteria multiply.

High-priority
Handwash sinks & supplies

Handwash sink missing, blocked, or used for other purposes, or missing soap, towels, or the handwash sign.

Intermediate×2
Thermometers
Repeat — 2nd time

Missing or inaccurate food and equipment thermometers.

Intermediate
Dishwashing facilities & test kits
Repeat — 2nd time

Dish machine or sinks not set up or working properly, or missing sanitizer test kit and gauges.

Intermediate
Manager certification & training
Repeat — 3rd time

Missing or expired food manager certification, or employee food-safety training not documented.

Intermediate
Single-service articles
Repeat — 2nd time

Single-use items (cups, straws, to-go containers) stored or handled improperly.

Basic×2
Dirty food-contact surfaces
Repeat — 2nd time

Surfaces that touch food — cutting boards, ice bins, dish racks — soiled or not sanitized.

Basic
Garbage & premises

Garbage overflowing or uncovered, or the premises not maintained.

Basic
Personal belongings

Employee jackets, phones, drinks, or other personal items stored where they can contaminate food.

Basic
Source: State of FloridaState inspection document
Visit 03 — Routine - Food
Oct 30, 2024
Disposition
Follow-up inspection · Compliance recordedCall Back - Complied
No violations on record for this visit

This visit closed with no further action required.

Source: State of FloridaState inspection document
Visit 04 — Routine - Food
Aug 29, 2024
Disposition
Warning Issued
Raw-food separation & protection

Raw meat, poultry, or seafood not separated from ready-to-eat food, or food left unprotected during prep, storage, or display.

High-priority
Chemicals & toxic substances

Cleaning chemicals or other toxic substances unlabeled or stored where they can reach food.

High-priority
Thermometers

Missing or inaccurate food and equipment thermometers.

Intermediate×2
Dishwashing facilities & test kits

Dish machine or sinks not set up or working properly, or missing sanitizer test kit and gauges.

Intermediate×2
Manager certification & training
Repeat — 2nd time

Missing or expired food manager certification, or employee food-safety training not documented.

Intermediate
Equipment & surface condition

Food-contact or nonfood-contact surfaces improperly designed, constructed, maintained, or located.

Basic
Dirty food-contact surfaces

Surfaces that touch food — cutting boards, ice bins, dish racks — soiled or not sanitized.

Basic
Non-food surfaces dirty

Shelves, counters, handles, or equipment exteriors soiled with grease, debris, or dust.

Basic
Single-service articles

Single-use items (cups, straws, to-go containers) stored or handled improperly.

Basic
Source: State of FloridaState inspection document
Visit 05 — Routine - Food
Dec 8, 2023
Disposition
Follow-up inspection · Compliance recordedCall Back - Complied
No violations on record for this visit

This visit closed with no further action required.

Source: State of FloridaState inspection document
Visit 06 — Routine - Food
Oct 2, 2023
Disposition
Warning Issued
Manager certification & training

Missing or expired food manager certification, or employee food-safety training not documented.

Intermediate
Wiping cloths & linens

Dirty wiping cloths not stored in sanitizer, or soiled linens handled improperly.

Basic
Source: State of FloridaState inspection document
What the violations mean

Violation categories, explained

16 violations · 12 categories

Every violation on this record falls into one of the state's standardized categories. Here is what each category covers and why inspectors check for it — in plain English, with the trailing-year count for this kitchen.

No live pests — roaches, rodents, flies — and no gaps that let them in: doors, screens, and outer openings must be protected. Pests move between waste areas and food-prep surfaces, carrying bacteria with them, which is why live activity is among the most serious findings on the form.

On this record, the category appears in 1 of the 2 trailing-year inspections. The written details for each entry are in the state inspection documents linked above.

† Item numbers refer to the State of Florida’s standardized inspection form; the same item recurring across visits indicates an unresolved problem. Severity groupings and the sanitation score are explained in How it works.
Check our work

The inspection record above comes straight from the state's files.

Dirty Dish List is built from public inspection data published by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The inspection dates, dispositions, and violations on this report card mirror what the state has on file for License No. 5201967 — you can read the original documents yourself and compare.

License on file
5201967
Inspected
Jul 22, 2026
Scoring
Trailing-year aggregate — How it works
Official State of Florida inspection records Opens myfloridalicense.com — the state's public inspection search
Official State of Florida inspection data — scores calculated by this site
Dirty Dish List.

Official inspection data, translated for the people who eat here.

SOURCE: STATE OF FLORIDA
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