Potbelly Sandwich Works, 401 John Carlyle St, Alexandria, VA 22314 - Fast Food Restaurant inspection findings and violations



Business Info

Restaurant: Potbelly Sandwich Works
Address: 401 John Carlyle St, Alexandria, VA 22314
Type: Fast Food Restaurant
Phone: 703 535-8212
Total inspections: 10
Last inspection: 12/30/2015

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Inspection findings

Inspection date

Type

This visit was made to conduct a routine food safety evaluation. The Person in Charge was very helpful during the visit. The following issues require attention:
1. Please ensure that employees are washing their hands often, before putting on new gloves and any time after possible contamination (i.e. wash hands when switching from one task to another)
2. Time/ temperature control for safety foods (TCS foods) prepared from ambient temperature must be cooled from 70°F to 41°F within 4 hours. To facilitate cooling foods from ambient temperature please place food in a shallow pan or container and leave uncovered until temperature has reached 41°F. This will allow air to circulate and cool the food. Food is to be cooled from ambient temp to 41°F or below in 4 hours. After reaching 41°F the food should be covered. Do not place food on top of sandwich prep units before being properly cooled as these units are designed to maintain temperatures and not to cool food. Foods may be cooled in the reach in compartment underneath the units or in the walk in cooler
Note: An updated Employee Health Policy poster was provided to the establishment and its requirements were explained to Person in Charge.
*Repeat Observations are Subject to Civil Penalty

  • Critical: Handwashing / When to wash hands (corrected on site)
    Observation: Observed a food employee fail to wash their hands before putting on new gloves.
    Correction: All food employees shall be washing their hands often especially after handling trash, using the restroom, handling raw meats, handling soiled equipment and utensils, before putting on clean gloves, etc. Proper handwashing frequencies will aid in the reduction foodborne illness. Person in Charge instructed food employee to wash hands and put on new gloves.
  • Cooling Methods: Containers Properly Arranged & Covered (corrected on site)
    Observation: Observed that cut tomatoes cooling from ambient temperature were in tightly covered containers in the walk in refrigerator as well as in the top of the prep units..
    Correction: Food containers in which food is being cooled shall be: 1) arranged in the equipment to provide maximum heat transfer through the container walls, and 2) the food containers shall be loosely covered or uncovered as long as protected from contamination to facilitate heat transfer from the surface of the food. Cool cut tomatoes first in inside the prep units reach in compartment or in the walk in refrigerator before placing on top of the prep units. The tops of the units are designed to maintain temperatures and not to cool food. Person in Charge removed covering of tomatoes in walk in and placed inserts underneath prep units.
  • Critical: Food-Contact Surface Sanitized before Use after Cleaning (corrected on site)
    Observation: Sanitizing solution in bucket used to sanitize the deli slicer had no measurable concentration of sanitizing solution and neither did the other sanitizing buckets on the front line.
    Correction: In conjunction with Section 4-703.11, the food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils shall be sanitized before use and after cleaning. Person in Charge changed sanitizing solution at 3 compartment and remade buckets with new solution.
  • Equipment & Utensils / Air-Drying or Adequate Draining Required
    Observation: Plastic inserts were observed stacked (nested) while wet after cleaning and chemical sanitization on racks next to three compartment sink.
    Correction: After cleaning and sanitizing, equipment and utensils shall be air-dried or used after adequate draining before contact with food.
12/30/2015Routine
No violation noted during this evaluation.06/11/2015Risk Factor
  • Eating, Drinking, or Tobacco Use / Proper Food Employee Drinking Containers
    Observation: Open drinking containers stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils. The FPM discarded the open drinking container during the inspection.

    Correction: Food employees may have beverages in the kitchen areas as long as they are covered and consumed through a straw and stored in a manner that will prevent contamination to food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single service items.
01/21/2015Risk Factor
  • Food Protection from Contamination / Package, Cover, Wrap (corrected on site)
    Observation: Unwrapped or uncovered food in the following location where the food is subject to contamination: ice cream in the (ice cream freezer). Food was covered during the inspection.
    Correction: Foods shall remain covered at all times.
  • Food Storage / Preventing Contamination
    Observation: Food stored on the floor and/or food stored less than 6 inches off the floor. Several food are improperly stored on the walk-in refrigerator and freezer floor.
    Correction: Food shall be protected from contamination by storing the food at least 6 inches off the floor on approved shelving units or dunnage racks. Milk crates, soda crates, or bread racks are not suitable for food storage.
  • Equipment / Floor Mounted / Elevate 6' / Seal
    Observation: Observed the milk crates with no clearance space between the floor and the milk crate. Milk crates can not be used as shelving.
    Correction: Floor-mounted equipment that is not easily movable shall be sealed to the floor or elevated on legs that provide at least a 6 inch clearance between the floor and the equipment.
  • Equipment / Food-Contact / Visibly Clean (repeated violation)
    Observation: The following equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: the interior of the reach-in refrigerator, the interior of the ice cream freezer, and the prep table.
    Correction: Equipment food-contact surfaces and utensils shall be clean to the sight and touch. A surface that is soiled cannot be effectively sanitized.
  • Cleaning Frequency for Physical Facilities
    Observation: Observed that the floor in the walk-in refrigerator, is in need of cleaning.
    Correction: Clean the physical facilities at a frequency necessary to ensure the protection and safe preparation of food.
08/14/2014Routine
  • Eating, Drinking, or Tobacco Use / Proper Food Employee Drinking Containers (corrected on site)
    Observation: Open drinking containers stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils. The CFM discarded the open drinking container during the inspection.
    Correction: Food employees may have beverages in the kitchen areas as long as they are covered and consumed through a straw and stored in a manner that will prevent contamination to food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single service items.
  • Food Protection from Contamination / Package, Cover, Wrap (corrected on site)
    Observation: Unwrapped or uncovered food (ice cream) in the following location where the food is subject to contamination: ice cream freezer. The ice cream was covered during the inspection.
    Correction: Foods shall remain covered at all times.
  • Critical: Hot Holding of Potentially Hazardous Food at 135°F or above (corrected on site)
    Observation: The following food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: meatballs. Meatballs were reheated to 168°F during the inspection.
    Correction: Potentially hazardous foods (time/temperature control for safety food) shall be hot held at a temperature of 135°F or above.
  • Equipment / Floor Mounted / Elevate 6' / Seal
    Observation: Observed the milk crates with no clearance space between the floor and milk crates. Milk crates can not be used in the dry storage area or in the walk-in refrigerator..
    Correction: Floor-mounted equipment nor milk crates that are not easily movable shall be sealed to the floor or elevated on legs that provide at least a 6 inch clearance between the floor and the equipment.
  • Prohibiting Animals Except with Service Animals (corrected on site)
    Observation: Observed live animals on the premises of the establishment. Observed a dog at the outside patio area. The CFM asked customer to removed the dog dug the inspection.
    Correction: Remove live animals from the premises. Live animals carry disease-causing organisms and can transmit pathogens to people through direct or indirect contamination of food and food-contact surfaces.
04/09/2014Routine
  • Cutting Boards / Resurface / Discard
    Observation: The cutting board(s) along the make table sandwhich units are heavily scratched and scored. The food contact surface is no longer easily cleaned and sanitized due to condition. Replace or resurface in 10 days.
    Correction: Surfaces such as cutting blocks and boards that are subject to scratching and scoring shall be resurfaced if they can no longer be effectively cleaned and sanitized, or discarded if they are not capable of being resurfaced.
  • Equipment / Food-Contact / Visibly Clean
    Observation: The following equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: the front sandwich units.
    Correction: Equipment food-contact surfaces and utensils shall be clean to the sight and touch. A surface that is soiled cannot be effectively sanitized.
  • Dressing Rooms and Lockers to be Kept Orderly (corrected on site)
    Observation: Observed employee clothing and other possessions stored in areas that may contaminate food, food-contact surfaces of equipment, single-service items, or single-use items. Employee's bag was improperly placed on the storage rack with single service items. The bag was relocated during the inspection.
    Correction: Instruct employees to use the designated lockers and clothes hooks to prevent contamination of food, food equipment and utensils, and preparation surfaces.
  • Critical: Storage of Toxics, Not Above Food, Linens, Equip., Single-Svc. (corrected on site)
    Observation: Observed that poisonous and toxic materials are not properly stored to prevent the contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens or single service items. Toxic cleaners were improperly stored with single service containers. Cleaners were relocated during the inspection.
    Correction: All poisonous and toxic materials shall be stored below food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single service items to prevent contamination.
12/11/2013Routine
Visit conducted following voluntary closure due to the lack of refrigeration. Sufficient refrigeration is now operating at the correct temperature. Voluntary closure removed and the premises is now cleared to re-open.
No violation noted during this evaluation.
08/09/2013Follow-up
Must call Alexandria Health Department Friday after 8 a.m. for reinspection prior to reopening.
  • Critical: Cold Holding of Potentially Hazardous Food at 41°F or less (corrected on site)
    Observation: The following food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: turkey @ 46F, ham @ 46F, roast beef @ 46F, hummus @ 48F, lunch meats @ 46F, chicken @ 50F, tuna salad @ 52F, sliced tomatoes @ 46F, lettuce @ 50F, lettuce @ 48F, lettuce @ 51F and 52F. (discarded)
    Correction: Potentially hazardous foods (time/temperature control for safety food) shall be held cold at a temperature of 41°F or below.
  • Equipment / Good Repair / Operation
    Observation: The following mechanical refrigeration unit is not currently operating as required to cold hold food at a temperature of 41°F or less. All 3 sandwich units not holding foods at 41F or below.
    Correction: Refrigerators shall be capable of holding foods at a temperature of 41°F or below. Repair the unit(s) immediately. Foods exposed to temperature abuse for over 2 hours shall be discarded, otherwise, the foods shall be stored in properly operating refrigerators. Establishment voluntarily closed due to lack of working refrigeration units.
  • Physical Facilities Good Repair
    Observation: Walk-in door not closing properly after being opened.
    Correction: Repair the physical facilities. Poor repair and maintenance compromises the functionality of the physical facilities.
08/08/2013Routine
Date marking prepackaged cole slaw and potato salad located in customer reach-in with a one number system designating made-by date
  • Critical: Employee Health Policy Requirements
    Observation: Through conversation and/or review of written policy, it was determined that the establishment's employee health policy (EHP) is not compliant with the Food Code because: Incomplete employee health policy. Gave new form.
    Correction: Create and implement an EHP that: 1) requires employees to report certain symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, sore throat with fever, or a lesion/infected wound) and illnesses (Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella Typhi, E. coli, or Shigella)
04/03/2013Risk Factor Assessment
This visit was conducted to complete a risk factor based food safety evaluation.
1. Ensure that any remaining chicken salad in the central sandwich station is discarded after 4 hours.
2. The CFM was knowledgeable on Employee Health and Temperature control requirements for the cooling and reheating of soups on site.

  • Critical: Cold Holding of Potentially Hazardous Food at 41°F or less (corrected on site) (repeated violation)
    Observation: The following food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: Chicken Salad was observed on the line at 42-44°F.
    Correction: Potentially hazardous foods (time/temperature control for safety food) shall be held cold at a temperature of 41°F or below. Discard any remaining product after 4 hours.
12/07/2012Risk Factor Assessment

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