Guide to Laws for Restaurant Customers & Owners in the Los Angeles area

1. Health & Safety

Do restaurants have to post their health grades?

Yes. Throughout Los Angeles County, you have the right to know the health grade (e.g. A, B, C, etc) the restaurant has received in its most recent inspection. This grade must be prominently displayed.¹LA County Municipal Code Sec. 8.04.752

You can find the full inspection reports at the LA County Public Health website.

How do I file a complaint against a restaurant for unhealthy conditions?

You can use the LA County Environmental Health online complaint system or call 888-700-9995.

2. Bringing pets

Am I allowed to bring my pet to a restaurant?

In L.A. County, restaurant owners are authorized (but not required) to allow dogs in outdoor dining areas, following certain guidelines.²Long Beach has its own health code, but follows the same policy as the rest of L.A. County; see Long Beach policy here.

In the rest of California, restaurant owners are authorized to do so unless the city or county has specifically prohibited it.³CA Health & Safety Code Sec. 114259.6

3. Bringing service animals

Am I allowed to bring my service animal to a restaurant?

Yes. Federal law requires that restaurants allow people with a disability to bring service animals.⁴28 CFR Sec. 36.302(c) See more info here.

4. Restrooms

Are restaurants allowed to have single-stall single-user bathrooms only for men or only for women?

No. As of March 2017 all restaurants in California must identify single-stall single-user bathrooms as all-gender.⁵AB 1732

5. Plastic straws and utensils

As of January 2019, sit-down restaurants in California will not be allowed to serve plastic straws unless a customer specifically requests it. Many cities also ban other plastic utensils. See more at our Guide to Laws about the Environment.

6. Other

Is it illegal for a restaurant in California to serve foie gras?

As of January 2019, yes it is illegal to serve foie gras, the French delicacy made from the fattened livers of force-fed ducks and geese. A restaurant caught serving foie gras could be fined up to $1,000. See more about Animal Rights

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