Restaurant and Mobile Food Letter Grading

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The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspects restaurants and other food service establishments regularly and assigns a letter grade based on the total violation points found during sanitary inspections. Each establishment must post its current letter grade at its front entrance where it can be easily seen. DOHMH provides the inspection results for the latest inspection of each of New York City's 20,000 restaurants.

Grading System

Grades reflect how well a restaurant complies with the food safety requirements of the City. Grades are assigned based on total number of violation points found during an inspection and are calculated as follows: 

  • A: 0 to 13 points
  • B: 14 to 27 points
  • C: 28 or more points
  • Grade Pending: Grade not yet calculated

Who Must Post Grades

The following sites must post their grade:

  • Restaurants
  • Coffee shops
  • Bars
  • Nightclubs
  • Most cafeterias
  • Bakeries
  • Fixed site food stands

The following sites do not need to post grades:

  • Mobile food vendors
  • Temporary food service establishments
  • Food service establishments operated by primary or secondary schools
  • Hospital-operated cafeterias
  • Correctional facilities
  • Not-For-Profit and charitable organizations (including soup kitchens or other prepared food distribution programs)

Learn more about the restaurant letter grading system.

You can get inspection results and letter grades for specific restaurants.

Online

Get restaurant inspection information.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

You can report a problem with a food establishment posting a letter grade, including:

  • Not posting a grade
  • Improperly posting a grade sign
  • Grade poster is damaged
  • Posting an incorrect or counterfeit letter grade

The exact address of the location is required to make a complaint. Having the nine-digit Card Number noted on the grade sign is helpful for investigating the complaint.

Genuine letter grade cards should be located in the window or in front of a restaurant. They are made of card stock, not paper, and would not be posted in the dining, food preparation, or counter areas of a restaurant.

If you own a restaurant, you can get up-to-date information on letter grading, guidance and tools for improving grades, sign posting requirements, and requesting a replacement grade card.

Replacement Letter Card

To replace a Letter Grade Sign that has been damaged or lost, you must complete the form "Replace a Grade Card," have it notarized, and return it, in person, to:

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation
125 Worth Street, Room 1020
New York, NY 10013

The office is open Monday to Thursday, from 9 AM to 4 PM, and on Fridays, from 9 AM to noon. You can get the form in person or online.

Learn more or get a Replace a Grade Card Form.

On December 10, 2018, the NYC Health Department will begin assigning mobile food vending units, letter grades based on the total violation points found during sanitary inspections. Before a unit can receive a grade it will need a new permit decal and a location-sharing device, which will be attached at its next pre-permit inspection. Once assigned a letter grade, each food truck and cart will have its letter grade posted on the unit's permit decal. 

It will take approximately 2 years for all foods truck and carts to be assigned a letter grade.

In December, the department will be holding workshops to help mobile food vendors understand the new rules and learn how to get a top letter grade.

Visit the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's website.

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