Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

The Health Department is currently reviewing all complaints and responding primarily to those that pose an imminent threat to public health or safety.

Non-emergency complaints will be logged and responded to when regular operations resume.

Need something else?

You can make a complaint about food safety practices in food service establishments, including unsanitary conditions, pets, and insect infestations. 

You can file a food safety complaint against:

  • Restaurants
  • Markets
  • Beverage stores
  • Bodegas
  • Warehouses
  • Delis
  • Bakeries
  • Cafeterias
  • Food carts (including Green Carts), stands, or trucks

The Department of Health will issue violations or warnings when appropriate.

You can make complaints about a broad range of food safety issues including (but not limited to) the following:

  • Bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods
  • Dirty cutting boards and counters
  • Spoiled or contaminated food
  • Food that is not cooked, held, or stored at proper temperature
  • A food worker who is sick 
  • Garbage or sewage issues
  • Operating without a permit
  • Pet or other live animal inside the facility
  • Poorly maintained bathrooms
  • Roaches, mice, or rats present   
  • Unsanitary practices by workers

Complaints about expired milk are no longer accepted.

To report that someone got sick from eating food, go to the Food Poisoning page.

You can make complaints about a broad range of food safety issues including (but not limited to) the following:

  • Bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods
  • Dirty cutting boards and counters
  • Spoiled or contaminated food
  • Food that is not cooked, held, or stored at proper temperature
  • A food worker who is sick 
  • Garbage or sewage issues
  • Operating without a permit
  • Pet or other live animal inside the facility
  • Poorly maintained bathrooms
  • Roaches, mice, or rats present   
  • Unsanitary practices by workers

Complaints about expired milk are no longer accepted.

To report that someone got sick from eating food, go to the Food Poisoning page.

You can make a complaint about unsafe food practices at:

  • Food or beverage stores
  • Supermarkets
  • Farmers' markets
  • Fish markets
  • Warehouses
  • Packagers
  • Processors

You can report unsafe food practices such as:

  • Food handling
  • Preparation
  • Storage practice
  • Odors
  • Spoilage
  • Infestations
  • Animals at these businesses

Online

Report unsanitary conditions at a supermarket, bodega or other food market or food processor.

By Phone

  • Agency: New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
  • Division: Food Complaints
  • Phone Number: (718) 722-2876
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM

You can report unsafe food and unsanitary conditions in food carts, food stands, or food trucks operating on City streets or sidewalks, in parks, or at street fairs. 

You can make a complaint about a broad range of food safety issues including (but not limited to) the following:

  • Bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods
  • Spoiled or contaminated food
  • Operating without a permit
  • Roaches, mice or rats present 
  • Unsanitary practices by vendor
  • Vendor is sick
  • Missing, damaged or incorrect letter grade posted on food trucks or carts

Your complaint should include the vendor's exact location, license number (located on the cart, stand, or truck's decal), and the time of the incident.

To report that someone got sick from eating food, go to the Food Poisoning page.

Letter Grades on Food Trucks and Carts

It will take until approximately the end of 2020 to grade all of the City's mobile food units, so, it will be common to see food trucks or carts without a letter grade. By the end of 2020, every permitted food cart or truck operating in NYC should have a letter grade affixed to its permit decal. 

Letter grades will not be issued to food stands.

You can report that a NYC Green Cart is unsanitary or operating improperly. 

Green Carts are specially licensed food cart vendors that sell only fresh fruits and vegetables and operate only in certain neighborhoods. You can tell a Green Cart from other mobile food vendors by its dark green umbrella with a NYC Green Cart logo. 

In order to assist in the investigation of your complaint, provide the permit number found on the cart.  As Green Carts are permitted to move around within a certain parameter, if you do not provide the permit number inspectors may not be able to locate the cart you are complaining about.

To report that someone got sick from eating food, go to the Food Poisoning page.

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