Health Inspectors Slam Donuts: A Sweet Treat with Serious Flaws

The Good Donuts shop in Maricopa was recently cited for two code violations during a routine health inspection conducted by the Pinal County Environmental Health Department. This marks the second time the establishment has received less than an excellent rating since February of last year.

During the inspection, the donut shop was deemed “satisfactory.” Inspectors reported that in-house made frosting lacked proper dating labels for both production and expiration. Additionally, there were concerns about soil residue accumulating on kitchen refrigeration and oven handles.

While inspectors found milk and eggs held at 39 degrees, which doesn’t strictly meet the recommended range of 33 to 38 degrees, no formal violation was issued for this finding.

Since 2022, Good Donuts has undergone five inspections, resulting in two “excellent” ratings and three classified as “satisfactory.” Meanwhile, inspectors visited both Taco Bell locations in the city, including a new outlet that opened in June; none were found in violation of food safety regulations.

A KFC visit also showed compliance, earning its fifth excellent rating out of seven inspections since 2022. Crumbl Cookies demonstrated similar adherence to health standards, having conducted five inspections since 2022, with its only satisfactory rating attributed to a lack of available hot water in January 2023.

The inspection cycle also honored Brooklyn Boys Pizzeria & Restaurant with its second excellent rating since changing ownership in the fall.

Understanding the health inspection ratings can provide context for consumers: An “excellent” rating indicates full compliance with priority standards, “satisfactory” means one or more standards were found lacking but were corrected on-site, while “needs improvement” signals that some violations were not addressed immediately. The highest alert level, “unacceptable,” is reserved for significant health hazards.