Sam's Chicken food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Portsmouth
Sam's Chicken holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the takeaway are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 17 November 2025, 7 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: 217 Commercial Road, Portsmouth, PO1 4BJ
How it compares in Portsmouth
In Portsmouth, 64% of rated places manage a 5, so Sam's Chicken sits behind roughly 978 nearby businesses. 20% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 978 | 64% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 310 | 20% | ← Sam's Chicken | |
| 3 out of 5 | 124 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 67 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 53 | 3% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 269 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Sam's Chicken 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 Sam's Chicken, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admiral Casino Other catering premises | 113 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2019 |
| Brunch And Barista Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 133 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 November 2025 |
| Boots Portsmouth Commercial Road (1524) Retailers - other | 195 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2025 |
| Burger King Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 273 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 September 2025 |
| All Saints Church Other catering premises | 277 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2019 |
| B & M Portsmouth Arundel St (875) Retailers - other | 300 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2025 |
| Boswells Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 312 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2025 |
| Bumblebee Nursery Caring Premises | 321 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 February 2017 |
Questions about Sam's Chicken
What is Sam's Chicken's food hygiene rating?
Sam's Chicken has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Portsmouth Council on 17 November 2025.
Is Sam's Chicken safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this takeaway to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Sam's Chicken last inspected?
Sam's Chicken was last inspected on 17 November 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Portsmouth Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Sam's Chicken?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Sam's Chicken compare to other places in Portsmouth?
64% of the 1,534 rated food businesses in Portsmouth hold the top rating of 5, while Sam's Chicken holds a 4. 310 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Portsmouth Council inspects Sam's Chicken 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 Sam's Chicken and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Portsmouth inspects and rates 1,803 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Portsmouth →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.portsmouth.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 →