Food safety chiefs in the US have flagged food safety concerns about one in 10 restaurants in Manhattan — around 900 — with around a third so filthy they’re at risk of being shut down, a MailOnline investigation has found.
Our interactive map today names and shames all 872 restaurants, cafes and coffee shops that failed to achieve an ‘A’ rating — given by food inspectors to eateries judged to be clean and safe to eat in with zero or minimal food safety violations.
Those that receive a B rating have a small number of minor food safety issues that need to be corrected, such as fridge doors not being closed properly, or dirty cooking equipment.
Places given a C, however, have committed either a series of these B-level hygiene failures, or one that’s extremely serious — such as a serious rat infestation.
Examples of C rating establishments include a McDonald’s restaurant, an IHOP, a Subway sandwich shop and with Joe & the Juice outlets having one C and two Bs.
However, some New Yorkers may be surprised to learn some budget fast food chains, such as Wendy’s, were among the highest rated.
By scrolling though our map, or filtering by cuisine, you can see how your favourite spot to eat or drink stacks up.
In all the boroughs in New York City, eateries are provided a letter rating for food safety based on a point system.
99 Cents Delicious Pizza on 558 7 Avenue was one New York’s pizza venues to get a C rating, the lowest a restaurant can have in the Big Apple
Cafe Hong Kong on 51 Bayard Street was another eatery with a worrying C rating
These points are awarded by inspectors who tally up a restaurant’s food safety violations, and their severity, for a total score between zero and 28-plus.
The lower the score, the more hygienic a place is judged to be.
An infestation of rats or cockroaches will result in a score anywhere between five or 28 points, depending on the extent of the pest problem, for example.
Failing to store meat at the right temperature will net a restaurant seven points, failing to wash salad leaves before serving will add up to five points, and not washing cooking utensils correctly is two points.
At the conclusion of the inspection, if an eatery gets no more than 13 points it’s an A, between 14 to 27 a B, and 28 or more gets a restaurant the lowest rating of C.
Any dining establishment that scores a C on three consecutive inspections can be shut down by health officials, though any eatery can also be closed down immediately if deemed a significant enough threat to public health.
And while New York may be famous for its pizza, 19 pizza outlets got a C rating including 99 Cents Delicious Pizza, Grandma Pizza on Amsterdam Avenue, and Frank’s Trattoria on 1st Avenue.
Three bagel shops also got this low rating alongside 21 coffee and tea shops.
Bagels may be a New York staple but some venues, like Zucker’s Bagels at 370 Lexington Avenue, got a worrying food safety rating
Even major fast-food chains, like the global giant McDonald’s could fall afoul of safety inspectors such with this one on 167 Chambers Street getting a C rating
Sandwich giant Subway, with it’s famous ‘Eat Fresh’ slogan, was another major brand to have one outlet with a C food safety rating, with this one on 36 West 46th street
By national cuisine, American was the most likely to have a C rating with 46 outlets, followed by Chinese at 29 and Indian with 14.
New York City Health, the government department that runs the inspections of food businesses, times unscheduled re-inspections of restaurants where concerns have been flagged.
Outlets that get an A may not be inspected for another year while those that score a C may be re-inspected in a matter of weeks to ensure improvements have been made.
A similar investigation in the UK revealed 5,000 British restaurants are so dirty they failed inspection.
Major chains such as McDonald’s, Nandos and Pizza Express have at least one outlet that required improvement earlier this month.
And Japanese restaurant Sican near London’s swanky Marylebone postcode scored a zero Food Standards Agency rating late last year.
All data analysed by MailOnline was published by New York City Health and was correct as of January 27.
