CAMILLA, Ga. (WALB) — Quality Inn Tifton got a 74 on its recent food service inspection on Friday, Aug. 28.

They got a total of 6 infractions; all 6 were new violations. 4 of them were corrected while the inspectors were on-site; one of them had a correct-by date of 08/31/2026, and one had a correct-by date of 08/29/2026.

Below are the infractions that have been corrected:

1. Observed food service employee not informed of their responsibility to report certain illnesses and symptoms in a verifiable manner. Corrected On-Site. New Violation.
2. Observed TCS food in reach-in cooler in kitchen held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. See temp log. Corrected On-Site. New Violation.
3. Observed 4-gallon milk containers and prepped waffle batter with no date marking in RIC. Corrected On-Site. New Violation.
4. Observed apples out on self-serve buffet not protected from contamination. Corrected On-Site. New Violation.

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A beloved South Georgia dining staple is celebrating a perfect health inspection. Rhonda Hilliard, owner of Southern Pines Cafe & Catering, recently earned a perfect 100 on the establishment’s food service inspection—a milestone that recognizes her team’s daily dedication to quality and cleanliness.

“We always stay on top of our toes, but it was nice to see a 100,” Hilliard said.

A Fresh Name with Deep Roots

While Southern Pines Cafe & Catering is a relatively new name, the establishment has been a community fixture for nearly two decades. The restaurant originally opened in January 2009 as Diggity Dogs Diner, operating under that name for 17 years.

This past January, Hilliard decided to rename the restaurant to align with its sister company.

“In January, we decided to change the name to coincide with our sister catering company,” Hilliard explained. “So we became Southern Pines Cafe and Catering.”

Despite the name change, the restaurant has successfully maintained its loyal customer base, serving up familiar comfort food throughout the week.

Southern Classics and High-Volume Catering

Southern Pines Cafe operates a dual model, serving lunch Tuesday through Friday and hosting a popular Sunday buffet.

“We eat through Friday for lunch. We do wraps, chili dogs, homemade hamburgers, and a hot bar buffet,” Hilliard said. “On Sunday, it’s a southern-style buffet. Church crowd comes, people gather, enjoy some time after church and just catch up on good southern quality food.”

On the catering side, the business is exceptionally active, booking between 75 and 100 weddings a year, alongside business meetings, family reunions, and church gatherings. Their service area spans across South Georgia and North Florida, covering regions from Warner Robins and Monticello to Valdosta and Tallahassee.

“Catering is our main thing and it brings in most of our income,” Hilliard noted, adding that they strive to expand their business daily despite the challenges of a slow, hot summer and rising gas and grocery prices.

Quality Ingredients and a Kitchen Open to Family

For Hilliard, keeping a clean and welcoming restaurant is deeply personal. She actively handpicks the ingredients that go onto her customers’ plates.

“I personally go all over South Georgia and I pick fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, local things from our farmers and our local markets so that I can see that everything is top-notch and top quality,” she said.

That level of care extends to the restaurant’s kitchen culture, where local customers are treated more like relatives than patrons.

“My customers, I want them to feel like they can walk in our kitchen—and they do. They’re local hometown people,” Hilliard said. “I want them to be able to go in any part of our restaurant and realize that they’re family. They’re not just customers.”

Below is a list of the top 10 scoring restaurants that were inspected from Aug. 25 through Sept. 1 in South Georgia:

Below is a list of the 8 lowest-scoring restaurants that were inspected from Aug. 25 through Sept. 1 in South Georgia:

MORE RESTAURANT REPORT:

>> LAST WEEK: Restaurant Report: Chicken stored at improper temperature at Moultrie food spot <<

Below, you can find the food service inspection document for the lowest-scoring restaurants covered in this week’s report:

Burger King (Albany)

House of Jazz

Clark’s

Hip Hop Seafood and Chicken

El Caribe Restaurant

The Pickle Patch Deli

Grace’s Southern Kitchen

Quality Inn Tifton

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