More restaurants in Champaign and Urbana received a red placard and were closed during a routine inspection last year compared with 2024.

At least 13 restaurants in the two cities, including Popeye’s, Mid Summer Lounge and Hot Wok Express, failed their routine inspections conducted by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District in 2025, according to a review of inspection records by CU-CitizenAccess.

Only six failed in 2024 during their initial inspections, but more failed that year during follow-up inspections and reinspections, which typically follow a yellow placard.  The health district gives a green card to restaurants who pass an inspection or reinspection, although health violations remain on the placard.

Sarah Michaels, director of environmental health for the district, said the goal is not to punish businesses but to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks.

“We would much rather work with an establishment to bring them into compliance than close them,” Michaels said. “But when immediate hazards exist, public safety has to come first.”

The color of a restaurant’s health inspection placard indicates the level of compliance with food safety standards set by the district and federal code:

• A green placard means satisfactory compliance with food safety standards. 
• A yellow placard means less than satisfactory compliance and signals a “food safety alert,” indicating significant problems that must be corrected quickly, and requires a follow-up inspection. The restaurant is allowed to remain open.
• A red placard means it is out of compliance with standards and closed due to immediate threats to public health or lack of health permit.

Placards are required to be posted by a restaurant’s entrance in Champaign and Urbana but are not required in the surrounding county. County officials said in the past that they did not want to require placards outside of Champaign and Urbana because they did not want to hurt those businesses.

The district conducted at least 107 more inspections in the two cities last year than in 2024, according to inspection records. However, officials have said entries in the health district’s record system are deleted once the restaurant is permanently closed and no longer has an active permit, and those placards and inspections are not included in the current inspection records. For example, Happy Lemon on Daniels Street is closed with a red placard on its door, but it now does not appear in the health district database.

Overall, the two cities have seen a small decrease in the number of yellow placards in the last two years. In 2024, there were 101 violations and in 2025 there were 78, which are greater than 2021, 2022 and 2023, during which the district issued less violations overall during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

There were 16 red placards issued in 2024, which slightly increased to 18 in 2025. 

Trends similar in Champaign County

Overall in Champaign County, inspections followed a similar trend in the past two years. There were 122 yellow placards in 2024, which decreased to 97 last year. The same amount of red placards were issued both years with 19.

In the last five years, there were 477 violations that resulted in a food safety alert or temporary closure: 423 yellow and 54 red placards. More than half were from the past two years.

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District oversees food safety inspections for restaurants, grocery stores, food trucks and other retail food vendors in the county. Home-based food sellers fall outside this regulatory system.

The inspection procedures stem from state code that mirrors the FDA’s Food Code, updated most recently in 2022. Violations are categorized by severity as either priority, priority foundation or core violations. 

Priority violations involve immediate food safety risks such as improper cooking temperatures or cross-contamination. Priority foundation violations involve systems or procedures needed to prevent contamination and core violations include more routine issues like structural cleanliness. 

These violations are noted in the health inspector’s report with details about correcting the issue and why the issue causes safety concerns. Repeat violations, regardless of category, indicate a pattern that can trigger enforcement. 

Inspections fall into two main types. Routine inspections occur unannounced, with frequency dependent on the risk level of the food operations. Follow-up inspections take place when establishments need to correct previous violations. 

When an establishment fails to comply, or when inspectors find severe hazards, enforcement actions can be taken, such as food safety alerts resulting in yellow placards, closures resulting from red placards or permit suspension in severe cases.

Since the district’s move from a numerical scoring system to the new placard approach, the visual clarity of green, yellow and red signs outside restaurants has made compliance more noticeable to the public. 

Every inspection report is also available on its website, where visitors can search by name, address or inspection date.

However, it can be hard to see which restaurants previously had a yellow or red placard, and upgraded to green. CU-CitizenAccess previously reported that failures can be time-consuming to track in the online database. 

Lack of procedure, cross-contamination among common violations

Common types of violations each year include improper cold-holding temperatures, lack of proper cooling procedures for cooked food, dirty or unsanitized utensils, chemical storage problems and cross-contamination issues. 

Pest problems, particularly rodent infestations, continue to plague certain restaurants such as Sushi Man and Mid Summer Lounge, two restaurants that received red placards in December.

Newman Hall, a private certified housing facility in the heart of campus, had its dining hall closed on Oct. 24 after receiving a red placard. This meant students did not have anywhere to eat in their housing area. 

The reason for the closing included improper cooling, cool holding, hot holding, labeling and hand washing practices. 

The report notes a violation where the inspector found “the pans of Hawaiian chicken at the 2-hour mark were above 70°F. Cooling items must reach 70°F within 2 hours in order to continue the cooling process safely and be discarded if it does not. The chicken was not discarded as required by the FDA Food Code.”

Newman Hall Resident Margaret Robertson expressed frustration with the closing.

“It just makes no sense,” Robertson said. “I don’t understand how one day we are eating there and then the next day it’s closed.” 

Food trucks served as substitutes for those looking for meals. 

“They brought in different food trucks like Burrito King and Watson’s Chicken, which is nice,” Robertson said. “But still, I would rather just have our regular dining back.” 

When reached for comment, Newman Hall Director of Marketing and Communications Jenn LaMontagne said when notified of the closing, the housing center immediately took action on finding alternative food sources for residents. 

Newman Hall’s dining room was reopened four days later after receiving a yellow placard. Inspections continued until Newman Hall received a Green on Nov. 10. 

Yellow placards give restaurants a chance to correct violations

Far more establishments receive yellow placards, meaning they can remain open but must address significant food safety concerns by the day of the follow-up inspection. Although many of these restaurants have regained a green placard signaling compliance, the health district encourages efforts for lasting improvements.

“Going from yellow back to green isn’t just checking boxes on a report,” Sarah Michaels, programs coordinator for environmental health at the district, said in an email. “It requires managerial oversight, staff retraining, and ongoing commitment to safe practices.”

Some establishments that regained green placards this year did so only after multiple reinspections, such as Newman Hall. A yellow notice typically triggers a short deadline for correcting high-risk violations. Failure to meet that timeline can push the placard from yellow to red. 

In the past two months, two red and seven yellow placards have been issued to restaurants in the area, including Mid Summer Lounge, Zhangliang DIY Matalang, Sushi Man and the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. 

Both Sushi Man and Mid Summer Lounge, which received red placards in November, did not respond to a request for comment. 

The following restaurants received a red placard and closed in the past two years:

• Popeye’s No. 828 located at 910 W Bloomington Rd in Champaign received three red placards
• Tenkyu located at 301 N Neil St Unit 104 in Champaign received three red placards
• Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity located at 110 E Chalmers St in Champaign received one red placard
• Basil Thai Urbana located at 701 S Gregory St Ste B in Urbana received one red placard
• Campus Culinary Solutions located at 108 E Anthony Dr in Urbana received one red placard
• Cao’s Hotpot located at 608 S Sixth St in Champaign received one red placard
• Champaign Bickford Cottage (2 Kitchens: Main & Memory Care) located at 1002 S Staley Rd in Champaign received one red placard
• Chicago Grill (Mobile) @ Harris Avenue Commissary located at 1205 N Harris Ave in Champaign received one red placard
• Circle K No. 4701442 located at 1511 N Prospect Ave in Champaign received one red placard
• Cravings located at 603 S Wright St in Champaign received one red placard
• Domino’s No. 2920 located at 520 S Tanner St in Rantoul received one red placard
• Domino’s No. 2924 located at 1803 W Kirby Ave in Champaign received one red placard
• El Oasis (Mobile) located at 510 N Cunningham Ave Ste 14 in Urbana received one red placard
• Fernando’s No. 1 (Mobile) located at 519 W Town Center Blvd in Champaign received one red placard
• German Food Truck (Mobile) @ Po’ Boys located at 202 E University Ave in Urbana received one red placard
• Gloria Jean’s Coffee located at 2000 N Neil St Ste 170 in Champaign received one red placard
• Guerrero Azteca (Mobile) @ Harris Avenue Commissary located at 1205 N Harris Ave in Champaign received one red placard
• Hot Wok Express located at 1102 W University Ave in Urbana received one red placard
• Hotel Royer located at 210 S Race St in Urbana received one red placard
• Kajiken / Kyo Matcha located at 617 E Green St in Champaign received one red placard
• La Quinta Inn by Wyndham located at 1900 Center Dr in Champaign received one red placard
• Los Hidalguenses (Mobile) @ S & S Foods located at 310 Tiffany Ct Ste E in Champaign received one red placard
• Mahomet-Seymour H.S. Soccer Field @ Middletown located at 101 N Division St in Mahomet received one red placard
• Mid Summer Lounge located at 623 E Green St in Champaign received one red placard
• Newman Hall by Upper Crust located at 604 E Armory Ave in Champaign received one red placard
• Old Orchard Lanes located at 901 N Dunlap in Savoy received one red placard
• Papa John’s Pizza No. 3603 located at 1307 E Florida Ave in Urbana received one red placard
• Pizza Hut No. 2619 located at 409 N Mattis Ave in Champaign received one red placard
• Red Lion located at 211 E Green St in Champaign received one red placard
• Residence Inn by Marriott located at 502 W Marketview Dr in Champaign received one red placard
• Shiquan Wonton located at 212 E Green St Ste 102 in Champaign received one red placard
• Sushi Man located at 2028 N Prospect Ave in Champaign received one red placard
• Walmart No. 1093 (Deli) located at 845 Broadmeadow in Rantoul received one red placard
• Yangguofu Malatang located at 611 E Green St Ste A in Champaign received one red placard

The following restaurants received two or more yellow placards indicating a food safety alert in the past two years:

• Illini Chabad located at 209 E Armory Ave in Champaign received four yellow placards
• Old Orchard Lanes located at 901 N Dunlap in Savoy received four yellow placards
• Residence Inn by Marriott located at 502 W Marketview Dr in Champaign received four yellow placards
• Big Grove Tavern located at 1 E Main St Ste 101 in Champaign received three yellow placards
• Champaign Le Peep located at 2209 S Neil St in Champaign received three yellow placards
• ET’s Downtown Rantoul located at 107 E Sangamon Ave in Rantoul received three yellow placards
• Kajiken / Kyo Matcha located at 617 E Green St in Champaign received three yellow placards
• Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority located at 611 E Daniel St in Champaign received three yellow placards
• Lincolnshire Fields Country Club located at 2000 Byrneburk Dr in Champaign received three yellow placards
• Newman Hall by Upper Crust located at 604 E Armory Ave in Champaign received three yellow placards
• Shiquan Wonton located at 212 E Green St Ste 102 in Champaign received three yellow placards
• Tenkyu located at 301 N Neil St Unit 104 in Champaign received three yellow placards
• Accolade Healthcare of Savoy located at 302 Burwash Ave in Savoy received two yellow placards
• Agave Mexican located at 1668 E Grove Ave in Rantoul received two yellow placards
• Aroma Garden located at 202 E University Ave Ste A in Urbana received two yellow placards
• Big JJ Fish & Chicken located at 1114 N Market St in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Buffalo Wild Wings No. 3327 located at 1335 Savoy Plaza Dr in Savoy received two yellow placards
• Champaign Bickford Cottage (2 Kitchens: Main & Memory Care) located at 1002 S Staley Rd in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Champaign Country Club located at 1211 S Prospect in Champaign received two yellow placards
• China Express 8 located at 1235 E Grove Ave in Rantoul received two yellow placards
• Comfort Suites located at 2001 N Lincoln Ave in Urbana received two yellow placards
• Cravings located at 603 S Wright St in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Domino’s No. 2920 located at 520 S Tanner St in Rantoul received two yellow placards
• Espresso Royale @ Grainger located at 1301 W Springfield Ave Fl 1 in Urbana received two yellow placards
• Evo Cafe located at 711 S Sixth St in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Fernando’s Mexican Food located at 519 W Town Center Blvd in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Franklin Middle School located at 817 N Harris Ave in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Freddy’s Champaign located at 420 W Town Center Blvd in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Gamma Phi Beta Sorority located at 1110 W Nevada St in Urbana received two yellow placards
• Gloria Jean’s Coffee located at 2000 N Neil St Ste 170 in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Golden Harbor located at 505 S Neil St Unit 1 in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Hotel Royer located at 210 S Race St in Urbana received two yellow placards
• La Petite Academy located at 1713 Broadmoor in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Lao Sze Chuan Chinese Restaurant & Bar located at 608 E University Ave Ste 105 in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Mo’s Burritos Restaurant located at 705 N Neil St in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Pekara Bakery & Bistro located at 811 W Springfield Ave in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Pho Noodle Station located at 601 S Sixth St Ste 104 in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Puerta del Sol located at 1724 E Grove Ave in Rantoul received two yellow placards
• SGD located at 707 S Sixth St Ste 105 in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Steak n Shake No. 11 located at 1709 S Neil St in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Ten Seconds Rice Noodle located at 607 S Wright St in Champaign received two yellow placards
• Wendy’s located at 505 N Cunningham Ave in Urbana received two yellow placards
• Zhangliang DIY Malatang located at 607 S Sixth St in Champaign received two yellow placards

Jenny Lin contributed to this story.