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Metro Detroiters want more transparency with restaurant cleanliness

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ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) — At most restaurants in Metro Detroit you won’t find a sign at the door telling you about the inspections they passed or about the health and cleanliness but should there be? That’s the question we’re asking.

Detroiter Sydney Webb says beside the usual vibe check, cleanliness is at the top of her restaurant checklist.

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“I’m a pretty big foodie," Sydney said. “Sometimes I look at the corners when I go in. Or how they wipe the tables off if they actually take the time to do it. Most of the time I have to tell places hey can you rewipe the table down because its sticky or gross."

She's not the only one who relies on their eyes to determine how safe it is to sit down and eat.

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“How many people are wiping tables and when I sit down at the table how wet is it, the smells of the place," said Mikey Zlonkevicz.

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“I think when you walk in you typically have a good idea of how it looks from being on one scale verses the other," said Mohsen Mokhtari.

But Sam Tariq says wherever he goes out, he always calls ahead.

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“Me personally if I don’t call or go in and ask I probably won’t eat there," said Sam Tariq.

He decided to stop by Zo's Good Burger in Royal Oak for a Halal and clean environment.

"I feel comfortable bringing my family and my friends here," Sam said.

Co-owner Moe Reda says the restaurant, which just opened this Royal Oak location, is all about giving transparency, along with a good burger.

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“We have an open kitchen to where customers can freely see exactly what’s happening with their food and how we’re cooking it. If we’re using gloves if there’s hairnets on and its very important for the customer to see that," Moe said.

This is why they post their safety certificates on the wall at all locations and plan to add their health inspection results here soon.

“So that they’re sure that their food is safe and they’re safe being here," Moe said.

As of right now, that's not a requirement in Michigan. The City of Detroit has the 'Dining with Confidence' mandatory placard program.

But for most places, you'll have to look up their health inspection reports online. Some people would like to see it at the door.

“I would prefer it yeah I think it helps give the consumer a sense of confidence that everything around them is being sanitized cause you often don’t see everything that goes on in the kitchen you’re kinda just assuming that things are clean and cleanly but if it was something that was on the door it’d help make me feel a lot better about the food that I’m eating," Mohsen said.

“I’ve seen places like New York, Brooklyn and all those places do that. I don’t see why we shouldn’t be doing that here at all," Sydney said.

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“I think it’s good for any place especially a restaurant to show their health grade," said Maxine Parham.

While others don't seem to mind trusting their gut.

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“I really dont consider that I just trust that they got it all together," said Dalejuan Littleton.

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