By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN — Will New York's restaurants make the grade?
The Department of Health is set to begin assigning letter grades to the city's restaurants this week, dolling out "As," "Bs" and "Cs" in lieu of violation points, which owners must post on their eateries' front windows or doors.
The department hopes the new letter grades will make customers more aware of safety violations and push eateries to meet standards as restaurant-related food poisoning complaints continue to rise.
But as the new ratings begin to roll in, many restaurant managers and owners across the city say that they don't plan to change the way they do business, while others are still unaware of the rules.
The legendary Gallagher's Steak House is one of dozens of Manhattan eateries, from Dunkin' Donuts to Katz's Delicatessen, that would have been slapped with a "C" had the new grading system been in place when it was last inspected June 23rd. The restaurant received 35 violation points for problems including evidence of live roaches, plumbing issues and improperly protected food.
It takes 28 points for a restaurant to get a "C" and 14 to 27 for a "B."
But Manager David Etienne, 56, said that, despite its recent problems, the new rules will have "no effect whatsoever" on the way the restaurant is run.
"We're always careful. That's why we've been here for 75 years," Etienne said.
Mike Palma, manager of the newly opened Pizza By Certé on E. 56th Street, is another would-be "C"-lister. The restaurant received 37 violations points during its last inspection for evidence of flying insects and various temperature issues, according to a public inspection report.
But Palma, who blamed the recent problems on a broken air conditioner, said that the grading isn't going to change the way he operates since he's already grown more vigilant after the poor outcome of the last inspection.
"It won't make a difference," he said.
Still others, however, said they were still in the dark about the new legislation, including Eisaku Nagai, 42, the owner of Midtown's Teriyaki Boy Japanese restaurant on Seventh Avenue. The eatery was slapped with 45 violation points on July 8th for problems including inadequate hand washing facilities and evidence of live mice.
"I didn't know," said Nagai of the new system, which he said he favors because his customers currently have no way of knowing that something's wrong.
But despite what managers say, both residents and tourists said they will be paying close attention to the letters when they choose where to dine.
Mary Beach, 43, visiting from Colorado with her 10-year-old son, said that seeing a "C" grade would make her steer clear.
The letters will also make her more aware of safety issues when choosing where to eat out.
"I don't really think about it [now]," she said.
Yolanda Ferrara, 81, who has lived around the corner from Midtown's 'Restaurant Row' for the past 40 years, said she's welcoming the new system as an alternative to relying on her neighbors for information about confusing point violations.
"'A,' 'B,' 'C' is easier," she said.
But don't expect letter grades in every window any time soon.
It will take about a year for the Health Department to grade all if the city's 24,000 eateries, a spokeswoman said.
If a store earns an "A," their grade will pop up immediately, while grades of "Bs" and "Cs" will only start appearing after restaurants fail to remedy problems two to four weeks after their initial inspection.
