How restaurant inspections work in Tennessee
Who inspects Tennessee's restaurants, how results are graded, and how to read them on CleanPlate.
Tennessee inspects restaurants through the state Department of Health with a posted 0–100 score — one of the most transparent numeric systems in the country. CleanPlate covers Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.
Who does the inspecting
The Tennessee Department of Health's Environmental Health program (with metro health departments in the biggest counties) inspects food-service establishments statewide; the inspection report and score must be posted where customers can see them.
How results are graded
Scores start at 100 and deduct per violation, weighted by severity. Seventy is the passing line — below it, a follow-up inspection is required. CleanPlate maps the score to letter equivalents (90+ A, 80s B, 70s C, below 70 fail) while always showing the number itself.
Reading it on CleanPlate
Every Tennessee restaurant page on CleanPlate shows the establishment's current standing, its full inspection history with dates, and a link to the official agency behind the record. Grades are shown exactly as reported; where the source publishes no summary grade, the derived status is labeled as derived. Establishments with no inspection in over two years are treated as likely closed and excluded from search.