Happy Chef food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · York
Happy Chef holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the takeaway that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 25 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: 8 Acomb Road, York, YO24 4EW
How it compares in York
A 2 is rare: only 38 of 1,854 rated places in York score this low, about one in 49. By contrast 74% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,378 | 74% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 314 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 106 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 38 | 2% | ← Happy Chef | |
| 1 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 297 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 Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Happy Chef the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Happy Chef, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acomb Primary School School/college/university | 422 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2025 |
| Baxterstorey Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 August 2024 |
| Apple House (York) Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2018 |
| ABM at St Barnabas C of E Primary School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2025 |
| ABM Catering Solutions @ Hob Moor Oaks Primary School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2026 |
| Belly Buster Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2026 |
| AMT Coffee Mobile caterer | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 August 2025 |
| Bar Convent Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2024 |
Questions about Happy Chef
What is Happy Chef's food hygiene rating?
Happy Chef has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by York Council on 25 November 2025.
Is Happy Chef safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The takeaway 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 Happy Chef last inspected?
Happy Chef was last inspected on 25 November 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by York Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Happy Chef?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Happy Chef compare to other places in York?
74% of the 1,854 rated food businesses in York hold the top rating of 5, while Happy Chef holds a 2. 38 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
York Council inspects Happy Chef 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 Happy Chef 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 2 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 York, 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: York
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
York inspects and rates 2,151 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in York →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.york.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 →