NYC Inspections · April 11, 2026

What Does “Grade Pending” Mean at NYC Restaurants?

If you eat out in New York City, you've seen the letter grades posted in restaurant windows — A, B, or C. But you may have also noticed a blue “Grade Pending” sign. What does that actually mean?

The short answer: the restaurant recently had an inspection and is either waiting for the results to be finalized, or — more commonly — they failed and are appealing the score. While the appeal is pending, they're allowed to keep their previous grade in the window.

How NYC restaurant grading works

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspects roughly 27,000 restaurants each year. Inspectors assess sanitary conditions and assign violation points. The fewer points, the better:

• 0–13 points: Grade A
• 14–27 points: Grade B
• 28+ points: Grade C (failing)

A score of 28 or higher means the restaurant has critical violations — things like evidence of mice or rats, food stored at unsafe temperatures, or unsanitary conditions that pose a direct risk to public health.

The appeal loophole

Here's where it gets interesting. When a restaurant receives a B or C grade, they have the right to appeal through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH). During the appeal process — which can take weeks or months — the restaurant posts a “Grade Pending” sign instead of their new grade.

But they can also keep their old grade card visible. So a restaurant that just scored a 47 (a serious failure) might still have an A in the window from their last passing inspection — which could be a year or more old.

What this means for you

The letter grade in the window is not always the current state of the restaurant. A “Grade Pending” sign often means the restaurant failed their most recent inspection and is contesting the results. The old grade stays up as a placeholder.

If you want to know the actual, current inspection score — not the letter in the window — you have two options:

• Search the NYC DOHMH inspection database manually (it's public but not exactly user-friendly)
• Use an app like Panko Alerts that surfaces inspection results the day they're published, with the actual point score and violation details

How often does this happen?

More than you'd think. At any given time, hundreds of NYC restaurants are operating with a “Grade Pending” sign. Some of them have scores in the 40s, 50s, or higher — well into failing territory — while the appeal process plays out.

The system is designed to give restaurants due process, which is fair. But it also means diners are making decisions based on outdated information. The grade in the window is a snapshot from the past, not a reflection of current conditions.

The bottom line

“Grade Pending” doesn't mean the restaurant is waiting for a routine result. It usually means they failed and are fighting the score. The old grade stays up in the meantime. If you want to know the real number — not the letter — check before you walk in.