Diners can peruse a menu on the cleanliness and food quality of Dunedin's restaurants and cafes before they go out to eat.
Food grades of premises are now posted by the Dunedin City Council's Environmental Health team on the council's website.
The grades, which ranged from A to D, were being posted to help the public make informed decisions before booking or dining, Environment Health team leader Ros MacGill said.
The council typically received several phone queries from the public about food and hygiene grades of eateries each week: in the first two hours of operation on Thursday, the online grades were viewed about 70 times.
"There is a lot of interest in grades and we would expect quite a bit of traffic. We would like to see the [online availability of grades] as an incentive for businesses to maintain standards or improve if they get a bad grade. It is part of a multipronged approach. We will continue to work with staff at food premises."
There had been a "definite improvement" in the overall standard of food hygiene at premises in Dunedin since the grading system was introduced as part of improved food safety bylaws in 2005.
Food premises were inspected annually and the grades based on conditions on the day of inspection. Premises receiving a "D" were inspected again within days, she said. The database would be updated when grades changed.
Premises had been notified of the service in the Environmental Health newsletter "Food Safe" and the response was mostly positive, she said.
All registered food premises must display a current grade in public view. Grades range from A to D, or U for ungraded.
The grades are online at: www.dunedin.govt.nz/food-premises-grades.
