American Candy food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Westminster
American Candy holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 14 February 2025, 17 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: 428 Strand, London, WC2R 0QE
How it compares in Westminster
A 1 is rare: only 84 of 5,235 rated places in Westminster score this low, about one in 62. By contrast 70% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,663 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 848 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 393 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 233 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 84 | 2% | ← American Candy | |
| 0 out of 5 | 14 | <1% |
A further 446 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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 American Candy the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to American Candy, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 Kalo Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 372 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2021 |
| 404 Club Not Found Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2025 |
| 1 Leicester Square Rooftop Bar and Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2026 |
| 40 Greek Street Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 March 2025 |
| 27 Old Compton Street Pasta Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2025 |
| 180 Pizza Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 June 2022 |
| 3 Greek Street Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 June 2022 |
| 42 Holborn Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 January 2024 |
Questions about American Candy
What is American Candy's food hygiene rating?
American Candy has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Westminster Council on 14 February 2025.
Is American Candy safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was American Candy last inspected?
American Candy was last inspected on 14 February 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Westminster Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at American Candy?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does American Candy compare to other places in Westminster?
70% of the 5,235 rated food businesses in Westminster hold the top rating of 5, while American Candy holds a 1. 84 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Westminster Council inspects American Candy 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 American Candy and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Westminster, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Westminster
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Westminster inspects and rates 5,681 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Westminster →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.westminster.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 →