Safeway #785 Gets Conditional Pass for Minor Violations

Safeway #785 in San Francisco's Outer Richmond district received a conditional pass during a routine health inspection on December 4, 2025, with inspectors identifying several minor violations that require correction while allowing the grocery store to continue normal operations. The facility at 850 La Playa Street near the 38 Geary bus line can maintain its services to customers while addressing sanitization and maintenance issues discovered during the two-hour inspection.

Minor Violations Requiring Attention

Health inspectors found five total violations during this inspection, with one corrected immediately on site. The primary concerns centered around inadequate sanitizer concentrations in food preparation areas, particularly affecting the deli and bakery sections where staff had been working with compromised cleaning solutions since 5:00 AM. The most significant finding involved several spray bottles of no-rinse sanitizer with inadequate sanitizer amounts in the deli and Boar's Head section, where food preparation had continued for five hours with substandard sanitation solutions. Additionally, broken nozzles on sanitizer dispensers in the bakery section prevented proper dispensing of cleaning agents, compromising food safety protocols during peak preparation hours.

Structural and Maintenance Issues

Inspectors also documented maintenance concerns requiring attention, including grease buildup underneath and on the sides of three-compartment basins in the deli area. The facility showed signs of normal wear requiring upkeep, with grease accumulation in ventilation hoods at the deli kitchen where grease drops had begun forming at hood edges. More extensive structural issues included deteriorating metal with exposed holes in the seafood walk-in cooler's cooling unit, bulging metal walls in walk-in coolers, and water buildup on floors. Inspectors noted multiple areas throughout the facility showing signs of regular use requiring maintenance attention, including exposed wall tiles and damaged door gaskets in various sections.

Operational Continuity

The conditional pass designation allows Safeway #785 to continue serving customers in the Outer Richmond community while implementing necessary corrections. This routine inspection classification demonstrates the facility's generally acceptable operational standards with room for improvement in specific areas. Food safety experts emphasize that conditional passes represent opportunities for facilities to enhance their operations while maintaining public service. The identified violations, while requiring prompt attention, do not pose immediate public health risks that would necessitate closure or service interruption.

First Recorded Inspection

This inspection represents the first documented health department review for this location in the SF Restaurant Inspections database, establishing a baseline for future compliance monitoring. The facility's ability to correct one violation immediately during the inspection demonstrates management's responsiveness to health department guidance. The grocery store serves a vital role in the Outer Richmond neighborhood, providing essential food services to local residents. Management now has specific guidelines for addressing the identified issues, with follow-up inspections expected to verify compliance improvements in the coming weeks. Customers can continue shopping at the location with confidence that identified issues are being addressed through the established health department oversight process, ensuring continued food safety standards throughout the correction period.