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Lunch Box Cafeteria

158 Eckhardt Ave E Penticton BC V2A 1Z3 · Restaurant - Food Service

Official record from Interior Health →

Inspection summary

Lunch Box Cafeteria has been inspected 8 times by Interior Health Authority since January 22, 2013. The most recent inspection, on May 16, 2025, recorded 4 infractions.

2 of 8 inspections on record found no infractions at all. No inspections are on record from the past 12 months. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Cleaning and sanitizing and Handwashing and staff hygiene.

Recent inspections have recorded more infractions than earlier ones, so it is worth reading the latest reports closely.

What these findings mean

Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.

  • Protecting food from contaminationHigher risk

    This covers how food is stored, prepared and displayed: raw meat kept away from ready-to-eat food, food covered and stored off the floor, and nothing dripping or splashing into it. Cross-contamination from raw to cooked food is a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.

    Recorded 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on May 16, 2025. For example: 5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?

  • Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk

    Anything that touches food, such as cutting boards, dishes and utensils, must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Inspectors check dishwasher temperatures, sanitizer strength and how wiping cloths are stored. Poor sanitizing lets bacteria survive from one use to the next.

    Recorded 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on June 9, 2023. For example: 3 Are food contact surfaces, utensils and equipment washed and sanitized in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?

  • Handwashing and staff hygieneHigher risk

    Hands are the main way germs like norovirus move from people to food. Inspectors look for stocked, accessible handwashing sinks, staff washing hands when required, hair restraints, and sick employees being kept away from food. Gaps here can spread illness quickly.

    Recorded 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on May 16, 2025. For example: 5 Has the operator taken steps to ensure employees are using adequate hygiene measures to prevent contamination of food?

  • Food temperature controlHigher risk

    Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.

    Recorded 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on February 21, 2018. For example: 4 - Are proper refrigeration, freezing and thawing procedures followed?

  • Permits, records and postingLower risk

    Operating permits, required signage, written procedures and logs. These findings are administrative: the documentation was missing or out of date at the time of inspection.

    Recorded 4 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on January 9, 2017. For example: 7 - Are written food handling procedures (Food Safety Plan) current and available on site?

About this data

These results come from Interior Health Authority, which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.

8 inspections

  1. Monitoring

    4 infractions

    • F1.5 Has the operator taken steps to ensure employees are using adequate hygiene measures to prevent contamination of food?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, staff members were observed washing hands with gloves on. Ensure that staff members are aware of proper handwashing procedures, wash hands after each glove use, and discard gloves after each use.
      • F1.5A Employees must wash their hands as often as necessary to prevent the contamination of food.
    • F2.1 Does the facility have proper monitoring supplies?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, the far right cooler adjacent to the steam table was observed missing a thermometer. Ensure a thermometer is placed in the cooler for frequent temperature monitoring.
    • F2.5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, bags of cereals were observed on the floor in the corner of the dry storage area. Ensure that all foods are placed at least 6 inches off the floor to prevent contamination.
      • F2.5G Foods must be stored in a manner to prevent contamination.
    • F2.7 Are there handwashing stations available and properly supplied?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, handwashing sink adjacent to the laundry area was observed without paper towels. Ensure that all handwashing stations are equipped with adequate paper towel supply.
  2. Monitoring

    3 infractions

    • F1.7 Are foods protected from contamination?
      • Observation(s): - bulk bags of flour stored on floor over grease trap; please ensure no foods are stored directly on the floor
    • F2.3 Are food contact surfaces, utensils and equipment washed and sanitized in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?
      • Observation(s): - main dishwasher does not appear to have a sufficient sanitizing cycle; it should be reaching 82C/180F on final rise for 12-15 seconds - follow-up date Sept 22/23
    • F2.5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?
      • Observation(s): - grease hood needs cleaning and filter elements appear to need cleaning more frequent intervals - follow-up date Sept 22/23
  3. Monitoring

    4 infractions

    • F2.1 Does the facility have proper monitoring supplies?
      • Observation(s): - test strips to check sanitizer concentration
    • F2.3 Are food contact surfaces, utensils and equipment washed and sanitized in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?
      • Observation(s): - all spray bottles of quat sanitizer empty or low and some at ineffective concentration - main dishwasher not reaching 82C/180F on final rinse
    • F2.5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?
      • Observation(s): - upright double-door reach-in freezer has ice accumulation - appears to be from malfunctioning condensate drain - please clean top horizontal surface of walk-in cooler coving as there appears to be some old debris there - odours in dry storage area - appears grease trap may need cleaning
    • F2.7 Are there handwashing stations available and properly supplied?
      • Observation(s): - hand sink opposite office needs paper towel dispenser re-stocked
  4. Monitoring

    2 infractions

    • F1.4 - Are proper refrigeration, freezing and thawing procedures followed?
      • Observation(s): - upright cooler holding drinks sporadically turning off (tripping of breaker) and milks reading 10C; milks moved to adjacent cooler (reading 2C) during inspection
    • F2.3 - Are equipment, food contact surfaces and utensils washed, sanitized and stored in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?
      • Observation(s): - please ensure all surfaces - particularly high moisture/humidity environment - are cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis, e.g., ice machine drain and pump system, back-splash on dishwasher line, and door surround on small dishwasher.
  5. Monitoring

    6 infractions

    • F1.3 - Are proper cooling procedures followed?
      • Observation(s): - please start checking/logging the cooling of the foods you do
    • F1.4 - Are proper refrigeration, freezing and thawing procedures followed?
      • Observation(s): - walk-in cooler reading 8C at fan unit but then reading 2C 30 minutes later - must be able to reliably keep foods at 4C or lower; after cleaning the fan unit to ensure good air flow through the fans, please ensure cooling system is working properly, and ensure defrost cycle is not coming on during peak food preparation times
    • F2.3 - Are equipment, food contact surfaces and utensils washed, sanitized and stored in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?
      • Observation(s): - fan units of coolers and freezers needs cleaning - ice machine needs cleaning and sanitizing -
    • F3.4 - Are the premises, equipment and utensils designed and maintained to ensure safe and sanitary food handling?
      • Observation(s): - handsink opposite the office needs a faucet handle for the hot water valve - ice machine door needs replacing - please store ice scoop in a more sanitary manner (e..g., ice scoop holder) - steam table needs temp control knob
    • F3.7 - Are written food handling procedures (Food Safety Plan) current and available on site?
    • F3.8 - Are the sanitation procedures (Sanitation Plan) current and available on site?
      • Observation(s): - please ensure items like grease trap and grease hood maintenance is on at schedule
  6. Monitoring

    2 infractions

    • 17 - Are written food handling procedures (Food Safety Plan) current and available on site?
      • Observation(s): Head chef was not available during this inspection and the alternate chef did not know where the FoodSafety Plan is. Please have the Lunch Box food safety plan where it can be accessed by other food staff.
    • 18 - Are the sanitation procedures (Sanitation Plan) current and available on site?
      • Observation(s): Head Chef not available during this inspection and the alternate chef did not know where the Sanitation Plan was located. Please have the Sanitation Plan readily available for other staff to access.
  7. Monitoring

    0 infractions

  8. Monitoring

    0 infractions

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