Health inspections at NYC restaurants aren't happening as often as they used to. Here's why

NEW YORK — Health inspections at New York City restaurants aren't happening as often as they used to.

In the recently published mayor's management report for fiscal year 2023-24, health department restaurant inspections were down 17% from the year before, which means fewer restaurants checked for cleanliness, evidence of rats and more.

A health department spokeswoman sent CBS News New York the following statement:

"The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on inspections in a range of ways, including the dedication of staff to the emergency response.  As we ramp up inspections, we also work with businesses to help them achieve the best possible grade.  We've held food safety workshops online and in person over the summer so restaurant operators can reacquaint themselves with the best food safety practices and we have resources available online. We are committed to keeping New Yorkers safe from food-borne illnesses and helping restaurants adhere to the health code."

The health department spokesman also told us the city is hiring and training additional workers to conduct inspections.   

What do NYC restaurant letter grades mean?

Health experts says typically, a restaurant gets an A if the restaurant has minimal or no violations, a B if there are minor violations, and a C if there are numerous or even risky violations.

A "grade pending" sign often means a restaurant owner is working to fix problems.

"They want that inspector to come back promptly so they can get a better letter grade up on the window, so it's for our restaurant owners and proprietors, it's for consumers. It's so important that these inspections increase quickly," New York City Council member Erik Bottcher said.

As some restaurant owners fight for better grades, city leaders want a better report card with more inspections on the menu.