The Early Bird food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Maidstone
The Early Bird holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 20 June 2025, 12 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: Minor Centre, Grovewood Drive North, Weavering, ME14 5TQ
How it compares in Maidstone
That puts The Early Bird among the 1,136 places in Maidstone holding top marks, 82% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,136 | 82% | ← The Early Bird | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 165 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 61 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 65 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At The Early Bird none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Early Bird, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bricks Coffee House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 January 2026 |
| After School Club At Thurnham CE Infant School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 July 2023 |
| Caterlink At Thurnham C Of E Infant School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2025 |
| Cavell Park Care Home Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 September 2025 |
| Bright Horizons Maidstone Turkey Mill Day Nursery & Preschoo Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2026 |
| Active Future Maidstone Other catering premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 April 2024 |
| Bearsted Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2025 |
| China Chef Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2025 |
Questions about The Early Bird
What is The Early Bird's food hygiene rating?
The Early Bird has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Maidstone Council on 20 June 2025.
Is The Early Bird safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Early Bird last inspected?
The Early Bird was last inspected on 20 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Maidstone Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Early Bird?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Early Bird compare to other places in Maidstone?
82% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Maidstone hold the top rating of 5, and The Early Bird is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Maidstone Council inspects The Early Bird and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch The Early Bird and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Early Bird is one of 24 rated food businesses in Weavering. See every hygiene rating in Weavering →
Maidstone inspects and rates 1,452 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Maidstone →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.maidstone.gov.uk/
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →