‘Cloud of fruit flies’ found at Charlotte-area restaurant: Scores (May 2)
A Charlotte-area restaurant received a “B” grade from the Mecklenburg County Health Department for numerous health violations, including the presence of insects and lack of hand-washing.
Krispy Krunchy Chicken (12740 Lancaster Hwy. in Pineville) received a score of 85% during an inspection on Friday, April 25.
Inspectors cited the restaurant after they saw “a cloud of fruit flies scatter out of a bucket with a wet mop left overnight next to the hand-washing sink,” county documents show.
Other violations the restaurant was cited for include:
Employee preparing raw food without washing hands
Employees preparing food with no head covering
Raw eggs stored next to read-to-eat food in walk-in cooler
Multiple foods in hot holding below required temperature (must be at least 135 degrees)
Metal storage rack in need of cleaning
This is the restaurant’s first “B” grade.
Note: According to the inspection report, the restaurant has not been associated with the franchise Krispy Krunchy Chicken for more than a year, but has continued to use similar menu items. The restaurant is closing on May 10 for renovations and will reopen under a different name.
Mecklenburg County sanitation scores
The Mecklenburg County sanitation grades database shows that at least 146 restaurant inspections were completed April 25-May 1.
▪ Most restaurants received an A grade, or a score of at least 90%.
▪ Four restaurants received a B grade, or a score of at least 80% but lower than 90%.
▪ Dos Caminos (601 S. Tryon St. in Charlotte) received a score of 87% during an inspection on Thursday, May 1.
The restaurant was in violation of 16 standards, including rags rinsing in the hand-washing sink and foods in cold holding above required temperature.
Most violations were corrected during the inspection.
The restaurant previously scored 96% in February 2025.
▪ El Taco Veloz (6701 N. Tryon St. in Charlotte) received a score of 89% during an inspection on Wednesday, April 30.
The restaurant was in violation of 13 standards, including dead roaches in the kitchen and food stored on the floor.
Most violations were corrected during the inspection.
The restaurant previously scored 94% in January.
▪ Great Wall of China South (6666 Carmel Rd. in Charlotte) received a score of 86% during an inspection on Tuesday, April 29.
The restaurant was in violation of 16 standards, including an employee wearing a bracelet while preparing food and wet pans stacked as clean.
Some violations were corrected during the inspection.
The restaurant previously scored 93.5% in January.
How to search NC restaurant inspection scores
Sanitation scores and their corresponding letter grades are used in North Carolina to assess restaurants’ adherence to rules and standards intended to mitigate and prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses.
You’ve likely seen sanitation grade cards at restaurants you’ve visited, and The News & Observer previously explained what those scores mean and how they’re calculated.
According to state law, permits are immediately revoked if a restaurant receives a score of less than 70%.
You can search all restaurant inspections in Mecklenburg County at public.cdpehs.com.
