Operating a Restaurant

• Best Practices for Pest Proofing Food Service Establishments (PDF)
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• How to Reduce Pests When Offering Outdoor Dining (PDF)
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• Rat Prevention: Food Service Establishments
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Model Scope of Services (PDF)
• Selecting and Working with a Pest Management Professional (PDF)
• Find a New York State licensed pest management specialist

Certain restaurants must follow menu labeling requirements.

• The NYC City Council now requires chain restaurants to post a warning icon next to menu items that contain high levels of added sugars and a warning statement explaining the health risks of consuming high amounts of added sugars. The NYC Health Department may issue a summons for violations subject to a $200 fine beginning on October 4, 2025.
• New Added Sugars Warning Rule: What Chain Restaurants Need To Know (PDF)
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• Nutrition: Added Sugars
• Chain restaurants must post a warning icon next to menu items that contain at least 2,300 mg of sodium: Sodium Warning Rules for Chain Restaurants
• Children’s Meals: What Food Service Operators Need to Know (PDF)
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• Calorie Labeling Guidance for Food Service Establishments (PDF)
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• For calorie labeling guidance for chain food retailers, view Calorie Labeling Rules

Follow food safety practices to keep your customers healthy.

• Thermometer Calibration Guide (PDF)
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• Practicing A-Grade Food Safety (PDF)
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• Written Consumer Advisory Rule: Serving Raw or Undercooked Food (PDF)
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• Adulterated Foods: What Food Service Operators Need to Know (PDF)
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• NYC Health Academy Food Protection Training Manual (PDF)
• Learn more about food safety

Keeping Food Safe by Keeping Track of Time

If you serve food to customers, it is important to monitor the food's temperature and the time held at room temperature to ensure it is safe to serve. Learn what your business needs to know about holding food safely before serving.

• Monitoring Food by Time as a Public Health Control (PDF)
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Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plans

A food service establishment that conducts a specialized food process must submit an HACCP Plan for Health Department approval. Use this checklist to submit required documents:

• HACCP Plan Review Checklist (PDF)

Hand-washing Sinks

If you prepare food, you must have a separate hand washing station near each place you prepare food and in each restroom. Learn what your business needs to know about placing and using hand-washing sinks.

Every restaurant in NYC receives an unannounced inspection at least once a year.

• The Inspection Process
• Letter Grading for Restaurants
• How to Get a Replacement Letter Grade Card
• Food Service Establishments: Inspection Cycle and Letter Grading (PDF)

• Dining with Dogs in Restaurants (PDF)
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• Dog and Cat "Cafes" (PDF)
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• Learn more about service animals.

If you plan to participate in the new Dining Out NYC program, review these requirements to make sure your outdoor dining setup is successful:

• If your restaurant has 20 or more seats, including both indoor and outdoor seats, you must have a customer bathroom.
• You may not allow smoking or vaping of any substance in any part of your outdoor dining setup. This follows the NYC Council's change to the Smoke Free Air Act.
• You may allow dogs in your outdoor dining setup if you follow the Outdoor Dining With Dogs requirements (PDF).
• You must expand your contract with a pest management professional so it covers your outdoor dining setup. For tips on hiring a pest management professional, see How to Reduce Pests Around Outdoor Dining (PDF)
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.
• You may not process food or store food, utensils or food equipment in the outdoor dining setup.
• Floors in the outdoor dining setup must be made of durable, nonabsorbent materials that are easy to clean.

If you have questions about the:

• NYC Health Department requirements, contact the NYC Health Department at infobfscs@health.nyc.gov or 212-676-1600
• Dining Out NYC program, contact the NYC Department of Transportation at diningoutnyc@dot.nyc.gov or 212-839-4500