5

Tesco food hygiene rating

Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Maidstone

Tesco holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the supermarket met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 29 May 2009, more than 17 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.

Address: 300 Tonbridge Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8TG

How it compares in Maidstone

That puts Tesco 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.

Every rated food business in Maidstone
5 out of 5 1,136 82% ← Tesco
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

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 Tesco 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 Tesco, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Barming Fish And Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop 230 yards away 5 - Very good 20 September 2024
Bower Grove School School/college/university 274 yards away 5 - Very good 6 October 2025
Blackthorn Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 389 yards away 5 - Very good 27 April 2026
Busy Lizzy Nursery Caring Premises 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 19 December 2013
Chartwell At St Simon Stock R C Secondary School School/college/university 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 23 September 2024
Bridge House Fant Oast (NHS Kent And Medway) Caring Premises 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 16 February 2024
Bettys Newsagents Retailers - other 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 21 July 2016
Albright Childrens Home Caring Premises 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 2 July 2025

Questions about Tesco

What is Tesco's food hygiene rating?

Tesco has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Maidstone Council on 29 May 2009.

Is Tesco 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 supermarket to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was Tesco last inspected?

Tesco was last inspected on 29 May 2009, more than 17 years 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 Tesco?

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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does Tesco compare to other places in Maidstone?

82% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Maidstone hold the top rating of 5, and Tesco is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Maidstone Council inspects Tesco 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 Tesco 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 →

Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

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 →