Queens, NY — Cruncheese, a hotdog restaurant at 37-09 College Point Boulevard in Flushing, received a Grade C following a health inspection conducted March 30, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 56, well above the 28-point threshold that triggers a C grade under New York City's restaurant grading system. The inspection data was released by the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on April 1, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection identified one critical violation under Code 06C: food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. Specifically, inspectors documented that condiments were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.

Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, condiments served at food establishments must be protected from contamination at all points of contact with customers. Single-service or vendor-dispensed containers limit the risk of cross-contamination — a concern particularly relevant at counter-service and quick-service establishments where condiments may be shared across multiple customers.

The violation was classified as critical, a designation the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reserves for conditions that pose a direct risk to public health if left uncorrected.

Food Safety Context

New York City's restaurant inspection program is administered by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene under NYC Health Code Article 81. Inspections are unannounced and conducted at least once per year for most food service establishments. Violations are scored based on their potential to cause foodborne illness, with critical violations carrying higher point values than non-critical ones.

The FDA Food Code, which informs the NYC Health Code, identifies improper protection of food and food-contact surfaces as one of the leading contributing factors to foodborne illness outbreaks. Condiment handling specifically is addressed because open or communal containers can become vehicles for bacterial transfer between customers.

A score of 56 is significantly above the Grade C floor of 28 points. Restaurants that receive a score in this range are required to post their grade card publicly and may be subject to re-inspection. If conditions are not corrected, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene may take additional enforcement action, including closure.

Inspection History

No prior inspection history for Cruncheese at this address is available in the city's public records at the time of this report. This may reflect that the establishment is newly opened, recently changed ownership, or that prior records have not yet been linked to the current listing.

The absence of historical data means there is no established compliance trend to reference for this location.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on their inspection scores. The grading scale is as follows:

  • A: Score of 0 to 13 points — indicates good food safety practices
  • B: Score of 14 to 27 points — indicates some violations were found
  • C: Score of 28 or more points — indicates multiple or significant violations were recorded

Restaurants are required to display their most recent grade in a visible location near the entrance. Consumers can look up inspection results for any city restaurant through the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's online restaurant inspection database at nyc.gov/health.

The inspection data cited in this report reflects conditions observed on March 30, 2026. Conditions at the restaurant may have changed since that date. Restaurants may request a re-inspection, and grades can improve between inspection cycles if violations are corrected.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Cruncheese including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.