Ranking Reveals U.S. States with the Most Restaurant Cleanliness Complaints

An analysis of restaurant cleanliness complaints has highlighted which states customers believe face the most significant issues, ranging from dirty dining areas to unwanted pests. This viral list is based on data from Affordable Seating, a restaurant furniture company in Chicago. The company evaluated over 2.8 million TripAdvisor reviews, focusing on around 40,000 restaurants in 2024.

The study identified low-rated restaurants with 2.4 stars or fewer in major cities, specifically flagging reviews that contained keywords like “dirty restaurant,” “hair in food,” “rats,” and “roaches.” It’s important to note that the rankings are derived from crowdsourced reviews rather than official health inspection data tracked by local and state health departments.

The ranking provides insights into where issues related to dirty dining settings and pest problems are frequently reported. – (iStock)

Top 10 States with Cleanliness Complaints

Below is a breakdown of the states that topped the list and the issues that brought them there.

1. New Jersey

New Jersey led the ranking with a remarkable number of complaints about dirty conditions in dining establishments. The state saw 320,520 mentions of “dirty restaurant,” 1,883 mentions of “hair in food,” and reports of 810 instances involving rats and cockroaches. These figures pushed New Jersey significantly ahead of other states.

2. Florida

Florida’s position on the list was influenced by numerous cleanliness complaints in its major tourist destinations like Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. The state had 4,560 mentions of “dirty restaurant,” 1,691 “hair in food” incidents, and 636 complaints about pests.

3. California

California’s ranking was driven primarily by pest-related complaints. The state reported 3,332 occurrences of “dirty restaurant,” 1,731 of “hair in food,” and led the list with 960 complaints involving rats and roaches.

4. Arizona

Arizona was among the top five due to consistent complaints across all categories, especially in larger metropolitan areas. The state had 1,759 mentions of “dirty restaurant,” 639 of “hair in food,” and 443 references to pest issues.

5. Texas

The large volume of Texas complaints was spread across its many urban centers. The state logged 1,068 “dirty restaurant” mentions, 471 “hair in food” incidents, and 232 pest-related complaints, contributing to its placement on the list.

6. Louisiana

Louisiana ranked high due to a relatively high number of pest-related grievances relative to overall cleanliness issues. It recorded 951 mentions of “dirty restaurants,” 412 of “hair in food,” and 399 instances of rodent and insect complaints.

7. Alabama

Alabama had a notable number of complaints related to cleanliness and food handling. However, it had fewer pest reports compared to others, with 918 “dirty restaurant” references, 404 “hair in food,” and 141 pest complaints.

8. Maryland

Maryland’s balanced complaint levels across all tracked categories placed it in the eighth spot. The state reported 884 mentions of “dirty restaurants,” 436 of “hair in food,” and 201 vermin-related complaints.

9. Nevada

Nevada featured highly on the list largely due to a significant number of pest complaints, especially in tourist-heavy regions. It had 881 “dirty restaurant” mentions, 579 “hair in food,” and 414 pest-related issues.

10. Georgia

Rounding out the top ten was Georgia, with moderate but consistent numbers of cleanliness and pest complaints. The state registered 856 “dirty restaurant” flags, 375 “hair in food” incidents, and 216 rat or roach mentions.

Deirdre Bardolf is a lifestyle writer associated with Fox News Digital.