One C, Two B Ratings Among Lancaster County Restaurant Inspections in March 2026

Lancaster County food service establishments posted strong overall results in March 2026, with the vast majority of businesses earning top marks from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. Of the 90 inspections conducted across the county during the month, one establishment received a C grade and two received B grades — though all three were subsequently upgraded to passing grades following reinspection.

The inspections cover a wide range of food service businesses across Lancaster, Indian Land, Kershaw, Heath Springs, Van Wyck, including restaurants, school cafeterias, convenience stores, and specialty food operations.

Summary of Below-A Grades

Note: Aroma Bar and Indian Grill appears twice because it was inspected on March 6 (routine, B grade), then reinspected on March 12 — and downgraded further to a C before finally earning an A on March 16.

Aroma Bar and Indian Grill — Indian Land

Aroma Bar and Indian Grill at 9648 Red Stone Drive in Indian Land had an unusually turbulent March, appearing in the inspection record three times within the span of ten days — and ending up with a lower grade on its follow-up than it received on its routine inspection.

The restaurant’s month began with a routine inspection on March 6 that resulted in a B grade and a score of 78 points. Inspectors documented a serious series of violations during that visit. The front handwashing sink failed to reach the required minimum temperature of 100°F. Raw chicken was found stored over ready-to-eat dosa in a reach-in at the cook line — flagged as a consecutive violation, meaning it had appeared in a prior inspection as well. The three-compartment sink was reading 0 parts per million of sanitizer at the time of inspection, meaning dishes were not being properly sanitized. Clean containers still had label residue on them.

Temperature control was a significant concern. Multiple cold-holding violations were noted on the cook line: ground lamb at 45°F, ground chicken at 45°F, tilapia at 44°F, cream at 58°F, and soy sauce at 82°F — all above the required 41°F maximum. In the walk-in cooler, cooked lamb was measured at 52°F. The facility also had a written time-as-a-public-health-control policy but had not listed chicken lollipop and chicken 65 on that policy — also flagged as a consecutive violation.

Other violations during the March 6 routine inspection included an uncovered employee drink stored over the cook line, pots too large for the three-compartment sink, an employee observed using the mop sink to transfer sauce into a storage container, grease and debris buildup on the hood vents, and the facility’s overall cleanliness.

When inspectors returned for a follow-up on March 12, the situation had not improved enough to restore the B grade — in fact, the score rose to 98 points but still resulted in a C grade under the state’s grading system, which downgraded the facility because a priority violation remained out of compliance from the prior inspection. The front handwashing sink continued to fail to reach 100°F — the same violation cited six days earlier, still uncorrected.

A further follow-up was required. On March 16, Aroma Bar and Indian Grill was reinspected and upgraded to an A grade.

Bojangles — Kershaw

The Bojangles at 516 S. Hampton Street in Kershaw received a B grade with a score of 79 points during a routine inspection on March 2. The inspection documented an extensive list of violations across multiple categories.

The most immediate concern involved hand hygiene: no hand-drying provisions were available at the biscuit station or the label-making station in the kitchen prep area. Food in the walk-in cooler near the three-pot sink was left uncovered. Sheet pans in the walk-in cooler had excess raw chicken debris on them, and the tea prep area sink had excess debris in the basin.

Inspectors also flagged food storage and contamination issues. Food in the walk-in freezer was stored on the floor, and condensation from the freezer’s condenser was dripping water onto boxes and freezing. The freezer near the fry station had excess ice and food debris in contact with food — flagged as a consecutive violation. An employee was observed with long, painted fingernails, which is a priority foundation violation.

Equipment and facility conditions drew multiple citations as well. Gaskets throughout the kitchen were found with excess debris or cracking. The hot oil filtering equipment’s catch screen had excess debris. Single-service articles were stored on the floor in outdoor storage, and containers and pans were stacked while still wet. The three-pot sink did not have sanitizer available at the time of inspection, though that was corrected on-site. A spray nozzle at the three-pot sink was found leaking.

Facility cleanliness was a recurring theme. Hoods and filters at the hot line had excess dirt and debris dripping, equipment surfaces throughout the kitchen showed buildup, and walk-in cooler and freezer floors, walls, condenser walls, and pipes all had excess debris and organic matter — flagged as a consecutive violation. Floors throughout the facility had excess debris, grease, and food accumulation, as did walls behind and around the hot line — also a consecutive violation. Cooler trim had exposed raw wood. A personal phone was found at the front counter, and a cigarette pack was observed in the food service area.

A follow-up inspection was required. Bojangles was reinspected on March 12 and upgraded to an A grade.

Grading Scale and Enforcement Context

South Carolina grades retail food establishments on a 100-point scale. Scores of 88 or above earn an A; scores between 78 and 87 earn a B; scores between 68 and 77 earn a C. The unusual dynamic at Aroma Bar and Indian Grill — where a higher numerical score on the follow-up inspection still resulted in a lower letter grade — reflects how the state’s grading system works: a facility can be downgraded when priority violations from a previous inspection remain uncorrected at follow-up, regardless of the raw score.

Consecutive violations — those that appear in successive inspections without being corrected — may be referred to the SCDA Enforcement Section and are subject to monetary penalties of up to $1,000 per violation per day of non-compliance.

Inspection reports are public records available through the South Carolina Department of Agriculture at agriculture.sc.gov.

Source: South Carolina Department of Agriculture Retail Food Establishment Inspection Reports, March 2026. All inspection data is public record.