The Hotdog Shack food hygiene rating
Mobile caterer · Harlow
The Hotdog Shack holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the mobile caterer met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 30 January 2026, 5 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: (Outside Town Library), The Water Gardens, College Square, CM20 1WG
How it compares in Harlow
That puts The Hotdog Shack among the 497 places in Harlow holding top marks, 81% 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 | 497 | 81% | ← The Hotdog Shack | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 78 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 25 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 76 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 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 The Hotdog Shack 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 Hotdog Shack, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costa At Next Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 127 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 January 2026 |
| Asda Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 148 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 August 2025 |
| Cake Box Retailers - other | 192 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2026 |
| Cineworld Cinemas Retailers - other | 192 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2024 |
| Couzens Bakery Retailers - other | 192 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2025 |
| Adil Adori Retailers - other | 199 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2020 |
| Essex Affordable Food Hub Retailers - other | 221 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2025 |
| Burger King Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 222 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2025 |
Questions about The Hotdog Shack
What is The Hotdog Shack's food hygiene rating?
The Hotdog Shack has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Harlow Council on 30 January 2026.
Is The Hotdog Shack 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 mobile caterer to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Hotdog Shack last inspected?
The Hotdog Shack was last inspected on 30 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Harlow Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Hotdog Shack?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Hotdog Shack compare to other places in Harlow?
81% of the 611 rated food businesses in Harlow hold the top rating of 5, and The Hotdog Shack is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Harlow Council inspects The Hotdog Shack 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 Hotdog Shack and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Harlow inspects and rates 687 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Harlow →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.harlow.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 →