2026 City of Rehoboth Beach Restaurant Inspections

June 11, 2026

The City’s 2026 restaurant inspections – a collaboration between the city’s code enforcement and Wastewater departments — are now complete. As compared to 2025, more restaurants were inspected (98 out of 107) with only one failing due to missing records. All 68 food establishments that serve alcohol were inspected for permit-of-compliance, with a 97% passing rate. The establishments that did not pass are in contact with the city to correct their compliance issues.

This year’s improvement reflects the City’s shift to a more coordinated annual inspection model. Code Enforcement conducted Permit-of-Compliance inspections, while Wastewater staff independently conducted fat, oil, and grease inspections using standardized checklists and a shared tracking process. The broader value of the program is that it moves the city’s role from a reactive to preventative. A predictable annual inspection cycle helps restaurants understand expectations, creates a level playing field, improves recordkeeping, and allows small issues to be identified and corrected before they become larger operational or infrastructure concerns.