From hidden cameras to surprise inspections, The Defenders hit the streets, exposing local fast food restaurants serving up violations that can lead to your family becoming ill.

INSPECTION REPORTS How can you find out about your favorite fast-food dining establishment? Macomb County: One county health department has posted its restaurant inspection reports online. Click here to see Macomb County Health Departments online reports. LODGE A COMPLAINT Wayne County To find out about a restaurant in Wayne County, contact the Health Department by clicking here. City of Detroit To contact the city of Detroit to register a consumer and food borne illness complaint, (313) 876-4502. For restaurant inspection information, call (313) 876-4503. Click here for more information. GET INFORMATION Oakland County Find out about Michigan's food laws from the Oakland County Health Department. Washtenaw County Contact the Washtenaw County Environmental Health Department. Click here for information.

Burgers, subs, Coney dogs and pizza are all part of our fast-paced, fast food lifestyles.

Hit a Kentucky Fried Chicken, Arby's, or an A&W and you can get a meal in minutes.

But does fast food equal filth? Are your family's favorite quick stops squeaky clean or are critical health code violations piling up faster than you can say "Super Size it"?

It's inspection day and the Defenders are on the job digging through records in every local community using hidden cameras documenting dirt, debris, even bugs and cockroaches in your favorite fast food restaurants.

Ken Whitmore is one of dozens of metro Detroit health inspectors who get down and dirty making sure your fast food is fresh and safe to eat.

Almost every restaurant has minor messes. A clogged sink is seen at one, but we're not reporting the small stuff -- only the critical violations. Those are violations that can result in a customer becoming ill.

"People who develop food poisoning will have 12 hours of cramps, diarrhea and 12 hours of general misery," said Dr. Frank McGeorge of Beaumont Hospital.

After scrutinizing more than a thousand fast food inspections we've narrowed it down to the restaurants that mustered up the most critical violations.

The Defenders take you inside five local fast food stops with an astounding 9 critical violations.

Kentucky Fried Chicken on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit

Leo's Coney Island on Sheldon Road in Plymouth

Taco Bell on Main Street in Plymouth.

Shoppers at Lakeside Mall like to take a quick Coney break at Kerby's. Apparently cockroaches like to dine here, too.

In January, nine critical violations cited during routine and follow up inspections included cockroaches observed at "various" locations in the kitchen.

At the Taco Bell on Main Street in Plymouth, nine criticals were discovered in Septembers routine inspection including dead fruit flies and an employee blowing his nose and then using food utensils without ever washing his hands.

Inspectors ordered them to correct the problem immediately.

That's bad, but it gets worse. In September, inspectors showed up at the A&W on Warren Avenue in Westland and found 11 different situations that could make customers ill.

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Among the criticals were an employee moving from dirty dishes to serving food without washing his hands,l which could result in contamination getting into your food.

Happy's Pizza on 7 Mile in Detroit posted 12 critical violations in March. The words "soiled" or "dirty" appears 30 times in the inspector's report. His closing comments: "Establishment needs a thorough cleaning and continued to be cleaned on a daily basis."

Little Caesar's Pizza on Gratiot in Roseville topped Happy Pizza. Inspectors noted 13 criticals in its February routine inspection and follow-up visits.

The problem employees drinking out of open containers near food and no time marking stamps on pizza that show if the food is still fresh.

After three visits to the same store for the same problems the inspector warns: "Next time there will be citations and fines."

Say finger licking good and you think Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Inspectors found not five, not 10. but 15 critical violations at Detroit's 8 Mile store.

A soiled oven, soiled freezer, soiled pop dispenser, dirty steam table and dirty reach in cooler just to name a few soiled and dirty areas can lead to dangerous germs that could end up in your next food order.

When it comes to critical violations no one in Metro Detroit racked up more than National Coney Island on Rochester Road in Troy.

Inspectors found 19 criticals in its February routine inspection, from spoiled V8 juice to raw chicken, eggs, hot dogs and sausage stored next to cheese, bread, berries, soups, and sauces.

Doctors, inspectors and health officials agree improper storing of foods is one of the quickest ways to produce food poisoning for patrons.

National Coney Island also failed to keep hot foods hot enough and the report states the dishwasher water wasn't even warm enough to kill bacteria.

These restaurants work quickly to correct the problems, cleaning up and re-training staff. Happy Pizza sent us a follow report showing they now have no critical violations on record.

KFC Statement

Following is a statement released by Kentucky Fried Chicken and sent to Local 4:

"Food safety is our No. 1 priority and we have strict food safety and handling procedures, including regular training of employees on proper food handling. Every restaurant must have a certified food safety manager, conduct food safety audits two to three times per day and formal audits at least twice a year in addition to local health department inspections. We expect all of our restaurants to achieve perfect health department scores but in the instance that one doesn't, we immediately take steps to rectify the problem because nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our customers."

A&W Restaurants, Inc. Statement

The following statement is in response to the Defenders investigation of the Warren Avenue restaurant:

"At A&W Restaurants, food safety is our highest priority. We have very strict food safety and handling procedures, and our employees receive regular training in these areas. When one of our restaurants falls short of a perfect health department score, we take immediate steps to correct the problem. The health and safety of our customers is our top priority, so we handle situations such as this with the greatest urgency. On our most recent health department inspection at this restaurant, there were no violations."

McDonald's Statement

Statement Regarding McDonald's Restaurants at 35025 Harper in Clinton Township and 31350 Michigan in Westland:

"We have a very strong commitment to food quality and food safety and, for that reason, the issues raised have been corrected. Providing our customers with the best experience possible when they visit our restaurants is our top priority."