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Pierce County Food Scores: Spanaway Taco Truck Gets 50 Red Points

AOL’s Oct. 6 roundup reports 50 red points for a Spanaway taco truck and 35 for a DuPont hotel, with inspection dates and findings explained.
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A Spanaway taco truck received 50 red points during a Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department inspection on Oct. 1, 2026, according to an Oct. 6 AOL roundup. The roundup’s “Sep. 28” label refers to its reporting week, not the truck’s inspection date. The reported findings involved food cooling and hot holding; the article does not say the truck was closed.

Which Pierce County food businesses had 35 or more red points?

The Oct. 6, 2026 AOL roundup names two establishments with at least 35 red points. The dates below are inspection dates reported in the article, rather than the roundup’s Sep. 28 week label. [AOL roundup]

Establishment Location Inspection date Red points Reported issues
Taqueria y Birrieria La Placita food truck 19520 Mountain Highway E., Spanaway Oct. 1, 2026 50 Cooling and hot holding
Hampton Inn & Suites DuPont 800 Station Drive, DuPont Sep. 24, 2026 35 Time-as-a-control logs and cold holding

The AOL article page was not accessible for direct confirmation; the inspection details here reflect the title-matched indexed article text. Treat them as a dated report, not a current official inspection record. The available article text does not document a later follow-up result for the truck.

What did inspectors report at the Spanaway taco truck?

The article reports pork at 58°F in a reach-in cooler, peppers and onions at 88–95°F, and birria oil at 90°F. The pork and consomme had been prepared at a commissary the previous day. The reported response included discarding food that had been improperly cooled, reheating items intended for hot holding, and moving peppers and onions to a steam table. Staff also discussed thermometer use and cooling procedures with inspectors.

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These findings concern temperature control. They do not, by themselves, establish that the business was closed or show whether it passed a later inspection.

What do red points mean, and do 50 points mean a closure?

The AOL roundup’s explanation of Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department rules says red points are assigned for critical violations that can contribute to foodborne illness, including improper handwashing or poor temperature control. Blue points identify non-critical issues that could become critical if left uncorrected. The article says establishments with 35 or more red points must be reinspected; repeated critical violations or an imminent health hazard can result in closure. A reinspection requirement is not the same as a closure, and the roundup does not report a closure for the truck.

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Why did the hotel still have a “Great” grade?

The roundup reports 35 red points for Hampton Inn & Suites DuPont on Sep. 24, including incomplete time-as-a-control logs for breakfast foods and cold-holding readings of 48°F for milk and 56°F for cream cheese. It also says the hotel’s displayed grade was “Great.” The article explains that the grade reflects the previous four inspections, while the red-point total describes the latest inspection. The two measures therefore answer different questions.

How often are Pierce County food businesses inspected?

In the roundup, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is reported as inspecting more than 100 establishments each week. Most establishments receive one to four inspections per year, according to the same article. These are general figures attributed to the department by the roundup, not a schedule for either business in this report.

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Is the county food-truck fire inspection the same as a food-safety score?

No. Pierce County’s mobile-food fire inspection program is separate from the health department’s food-safety scoring. The county says local jurisdictions retain permitting authority, so operators must contact each jurisdiction where they plan to operate. The county page quotes the Washington State Association of Fire Marshals describing the program as a way to streamline fire inspection requirements for trucks operating in multiple locations and provide a checklist for local fire agencies. [Pierce County mobile food program]

For current status or a later inspection result, consult Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department records; the county fire-program page does not verify food inspection scores.

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