Queens, NY — Kennedy Fried Chicken, located at 135-18 Jamaica Avenue in Richmond Hill, received a score of 30 points during a health inspection conducted on January 6, 2026, placing it in the Grade C category under New York City's restaurant grading system.

The inspection was carried out by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the data was released publicly on March 4, 2026. Violations were cited, and the restaurant received the corresponding grade based on accumulated points.

What Inspectors Found

During the January 6 inspection, inspectors documented one non-critical violation related to the restaurant's plumbing and drainage systems.

Specifically, the citation noted that anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention devices were not provided where required. The violation also referenced issues with improper drainage of equipment or floors, and improper disposal of condensation or liquid waste. This falls under NYC Health Code violation code 10B.

Back-flow prevention devices are required in food service establishments to prevent contaminated water from flowing backward into the clean water supply. When these devices are absent or non-functional, there is a potential risk of cross-contamination between wastewater and potable water used in food preparation and cleaning.

While this was classified as a non-critical violation, the 30-point score placed the restaurant above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C designation.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the regulatory framework for food service establishments operating in the city. The code requires that all plumbing systems in restaurants meet specific standards to protect public health, including the installation and maintenance of back-flow prevention devices and proper drainage systems.

The FDA Food Code similarly addresses plumbing requirements for food establishments, specifying that water supply systems must be protected against backflow and back-siphonage through approved air gaps or mechanical devices. Proper drainage is considered an essential component of maintaining sanitary conditions in food preparation areas.

Plumbing and drainage violations, while sometimes overlooked in comparison to food temperature or pest-related citations, represent foundational infrastructure issues. Standing water or improperly drained condensation can create conditions conducive to bacterial growth and pest activity if left unaddressed.

The DOHMH inspection system assigns point values to each violation based on severity and public health risk. Accumulation of points determines the final grade, with higher scores indicating more or more serious violations documented during the inspection.

Inspection History

No prior inspection history is available in the DOHMH public database for this establishment at this location. The January 6, 2026 inspection represents the first recorded inspection in the current dataset.

This could indicate that the restaurant is a relatively new establishment, has recently changed ownership, or that earlier inspection records predate the current public database. Without additional historical data, no trend analysis of the restaurant's compliance record is possible at this time.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by the DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on inspection scores:

  • A: 0–13 points — The establishment has few or no violations
  • B: 14–27 points — The establishment has moderate violations that need correction
  • C: 28 or more points — The establishment has significant violations requiring attention

A Grade C score of 30 points places Kennedy Fried Chicken just above the 28-point threshold for this category. Restaurants receiving a Grade B or C on an initial inspection are entitled to a re-inspection, during which the grade may be improved if violations have been corrected.

Restaurants that dispute their grade may also request an adjudicatory hearing through the DOHMH's Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.

All NYC restaurant inspection results, including violation details and grade histories, are publicly available through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database. Consumers can search by restaurant name, address, or borough to review current and past inspection records before dining.

For the most current information about Kennedy Fried Chicken's inspection status, residents can visit the DOHMH website or check the grade card posted at the restaurant's entrance, as required by city regulations.

More About This Restaurant

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