Halloween decorations hide a poor inspection score

Halloween in New Zealand doesn’t appear to be as hyped-up as North America. I’ve yet to see any houses decorated in Wellington, and the usual surplus of costumes and candy in grocery and department stores is nearly non-existent here. That won’t stop me however; I’ve already begun gathering the fixin’s for my costume.

Meanwhile, a South Carolina restaurant found a way to disguise its most recent bad inspection card – using Halloween decorations to hide the “C” assigned, reports The Item Online.

Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet on Broad Street has received an "A" inspection rating from the Department of Health and Environmental Control. The new grade replaces the "C" handed out on Tuesday for violations of the county health code, which inspector James Arthur said were numerous and serious.

The day after that inspection, the restaurant was cited for permit tampering, after an employee covered the downgraded inspection sticker with Halloween decorations.

Penalties range from a fine of $1,000 to permit suspension, said Arthur. The official notice will stay in the restaurant’s file at the health department, he added. They will not face consequences unless it happens again.

On Friday, the restaurant scored a perfect 100 points on their follow-up health inspection. The new sticker, which is unobscured, can be seen on the door, facing the parking lot.

Spooky.