How many restaurants are in Polk County?

There are 1,840 restaurants tracked in Polk County, Florida by InspectFL, based on public DBPR inspection records.

What percentage of Polk County restaurants have an A grade?

Approximately 83% of restaurants in Polk County currently hold an A grade, based on InspectFL's analysis of Florida DBPR inspection data.

How often are Florida restaurants inspected?

Florida restaurants are typically inspected 1-4 times per year by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants within the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). High-risk establishments and those with prior violations may be inspected more frequently.

What does the InspectFL Health Score mean?

InspectFL calculates a 0-100 Health Score for each restaurant based on the number and severity of violations found during inspections. A higher score means fewer and less severe violations. Scores of 90+ typically correspond to an A grade, while scores below 60 indicate an F grade.

Where does InspectFL get its Polk County data?

All inspection data for Polk County comes from public records maintained by the Florida DBPR (Department of Business and Professional Regulation). InspectFL aggregates and presents this data in an easy-to-understand format with grades and scores.

Polk County

Sitting between Tampa and Orlando, Polk County is Central Florida's often-overlooked dining market. With Lakeland as its largest city and over 1,500 restaurants spread across a largely suburban and rural landscape, the county serves as a crossroads for both coasts. Chain restaurants dominate the I-4 corridor, but local gems in downtown Lakeland and Winter Haven's growing dining scene offer a different side of Polk County's food culture.

Find Polk County restaurant inspections to find health scores and violation histories for restaurants in Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Haines City, Lake Wales, and Auburndale. Every inspection record includes the full list of violations found and the restaurant's overall health grade.

1,840

Restaurants

83%

A-Rated

97.8

Avg Score

1,575

Inspections

Data on this page

Restaurants tracked

1,840

Cities represented

Restaurants with inspection history

1,829

Official source

Florida DBPR

InspectFL turns public DBPR inspection records into county-level trend pages with filters, latest inspection snapshots, and direct restaurant history. Most recent inspection on this page: July 4, 2026.

How to use this county page

Use it to compare cities, filter the countywide list, and quickly spot restaurant records worth opening — especially if you are choosing between areas.

What the countywide data means

Polk County's current grade mix looks stronger than average, but one countywide number should never outweigh a restaurant's recent inspection timeline.