The Health Department Will Finally Let Restaurants Know When They Will Do Inspections—
Anyone who’s ever worked in a New York restaurant will tell you the same thing: the waiting game for health department letter grades is hell, because, up until recently, there was no way to know exactly when the city planned to drop by for inspections. You’re slammed in service? Surprise, the health department is here anyway. Theoretically, letter grades serve a purpose in New York to tell diners about the cleanliness of an establishment. But the system is convoluted and opaque for diners: there are also very logistical things (say, a sink’s location or signage placement) that could factor into a lower grade, and if you don’t get an “A,” you can remain in limbo with your old grade for months before reinspection.
