You Can Now Search Mpls. Food Safety Inspection Reports Online

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- If you're going out to eat this weekend, there's a new tool for Twin Cities diners.

It lets customers check Minneapolis restaurant inspections online.

"We've had a number of inquiries from the public why the city of Minneapolis doesn't post health inspections," said Cindy Weckwerth, director of environmental health for the city of Minneapolis.

So for the past few years, her team has been compiling data. Now, the website is live -- and popular.

"It was extremely popular and it crashed the website," she said.

It's back up and running, via the city of Minneapolis website. You can click on reports, type in a restaurant, food-truck or anyplace that serves food, and then see scores and details on violations. One hundred is a perfect score.

"It's about people being able to take responsibility for their health and to be able to make decisions that are good for them," Weckwerth said.

Nona Chan is the general manager of Sushi Train, Minneapolis' first conveyor belt sushi.

"If you do one thing wrong, it could really be crucial to someone's health, so you want to stay in tip-top shape," Chan said.

She says the stakes are extra high. She believes the new site will keep her Sushi Train, and others, on track.

"It keeps restaurants on their toes, and as restaurateurs we eat out, too, so we want to see everyone's restaurant score and then it pushes us to be better. I think it's a great thing for consumers to see," Chan said.

While health inspections are important, the city of Minneapolis warns they are just a glimpse at a snap shot in time of an entire operations.

On the new website, you can find scores for restaurants, food trucks, day cares, schools, grocery stores and gas stations.