By Jennifer Glickel
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — An overwhelming majority of New York City’s restaurants are receiving A and B grades for food safety in the Department of Health's new restaurant grading system, the city said Thursday.
Some 250 restaurants have undergone the inspection process and 80 percent of them received top grades, according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
“These findings show that restaurants are taking their inspections seriously and that those who make a concerted effort can achieve our highest grade,” said Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City Health Commissioner, in a statement.
“As more and more restaurant operators improve their practices, we anticipate fewer cases of food-borne illness," he said. "Overall, we consider these initial numbers very encouraging.”
The new system encourages restaurant owners to improve their establishment’s food safety standards by a two-step process for sanitary inspections. If a restaurant does not achieve an A grade upon the first visit by Health Department officials, it has the opportunity to improve before a second visit within two to three weeks.
At the five-and-a-half week mark since the new program began on July 27, the Health Department had carried out 1,825 initial inspections of restaurants in the five boroughs.
Of the restaurants already inspected, 48 percent achieved A grades and 31 percent got B grades. Only 12 percent received C grades and a small eight percent of restaurants were closed for serious health hazards.
