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PENNY'S HOT CHICKEN

#253 King St N, Waterloo ON N2J 2Y8 · Facility

Official record from Waterloo Region →

Inspection summary

PENNY'S HOT CHICKEN has been inspected 8 times by Region of Waterloo Public Health since January 27, 2025. The most recent inspection, on September 28, 2026, recorded 2 infractions.

2 of 8 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 5 inspections with 12 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Food temperature control and Cleaning and sanitizing.

Recent inspections have recorded fewer infractions than earlier ones, so the record is improving.

What these findings mean

Health authorities word their findings differently, so we group them by what they mean for your health. 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 and supplies are stored and handled: kept covered, off the floor, and away from anything that could contaminate them. Where food is served, raw meat must be kept away from ready-to-eat food, a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.

    Recorded 5 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on February 19, 2026. For example: Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner

  • Food temperature controlHigher risk

    Inspectors check that anything that has to be kept at a set temperature, such as chilled or hot food, or equipment like sterilizers, stays in its safe range and that accurate thermometers are on hand. With food, temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning.

    Recorded 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on September 28, 2026. For example: Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less

  • Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk

    Surfaces, dishes and tools that touch food or people must be cleaned and then sanitized or disinfected. Inspectors check sanitizer strength, dishwasher temperatures and how cleaning is done. Poor sanitizing lets germs survive from one use to the next.

    Recorded 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on November 20, 2025. For example: Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer

  • Building, plumbing and upkeepLower risk

    Floors, walls and ceilings must be clean and in good repair, with working lighting, ventilation, plumbing, hot and cold water, and washrooms. These are rarely an immediate health risk on their own, but persistent problems can lead to pest or sanitation issues.

    Recorded 5 times across 5 separate inspections, most recently on September 28, 2026. For example: The premises is operated and maintained free from potential/immediate health hazards

  • Food safety training and certificationLower risk

    Many jurisdictions require a trained or certified person on site, such as a certified food handler. These findings mean the training record or the trained person was missing at the time. They do not by themselves mean anything was handled unsafely.

    Recorded once on November 20, 2025. For example: Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils do so in a sanitary manner

About this data

These results come from Region of Waterloo Public Health, 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. Re-inspection

    2 infractions

    • The premises is operated and maintained free from potential/immediate health hazards
      • CLOSE FOOD PREMISES
    • Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
  2. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  3. Compliance Inspection

    2 infractions

    • Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
      • Adjust or repair the refrigeration unit immediately. Do not store any hazardous foods in the unit until it is able to maintain hazardous foods at 4°C (40°F) or less
      • Ensure all hazardous foods are stored at 4°C (40°F) or less
    • Ventilation is maintained to ensure the elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
      • Maintain ventilation system to ensure elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
      • Maintain ventilation system in manner not permitting health hazard
      • Ventilation system requires thorough cleaning
  4. Compliance Inspection

    2 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Cleaning required around, under, and behind kitchen equipment, counters, and baseboards
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
    • Ventilation is maintained to ensure the elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
      • Ventilation system requires thorough cleaning
  5. Compliance Inspection

    6 infractions

    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Protect food from contamination and adulteration
    • Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
      • Ensure all hazardous foods are stored at 4°C (40°F) or less
    • Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
      • Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Cleaning required around, under, and behind kitchen equipment, counters, and baseboards
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
      • Ensure walls are kept clean and in good repair
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed and maintained
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
    • Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils do so in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure food handlers wash hands as often as necessary
  6. Compliance Inspection

    3 infractions

    • Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
      • Ensure all hazardous foods are stored at 4°C (40°F) or less
    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Cleaning required around, under, and behind kitchen equipment, counters, and baseboards
      • Ensure ceilings are kept clean and in good repair
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
      • Ensure floors, walls, and ceilings are tight, smooth, and non-absorbent
    • Cloths and towels maintained in clean, good repair and not used for other purposes
      • Provide sanitizing solution for wiping cloths/rinsing large utensils/rinsing food contact surfaces
  7. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  8. Compliance Inspection

    3 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Cleaning required around, under, and behind kitchen equipment, counters, and baseboards
      • Ensure ceilings are kept clean and in good repair
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed and maintained
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
    • Ventilation is maintained to ensure the elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
      • Ventilation system requires thorough cleaning

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