Manhattan, NY — A Subway restaurant located at 563 Lenox Avenue in Manhattan received a score of 31 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on April 1, 2026, placing the location in Grade C territory under the city's restaurant grading system. Inspection data was released by the agency on April 6, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the visit, citing code 06F: wiping cloths were not being stored clean and dry, or in an approved sanitizing solution, between uses.

Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, wiping cloths used on food-contact surfaces must be stored in a sanitizing solution of appropriate concentration when not in active use, or kept clean and dry if used solely for non-food-contact surfaces. Improper storage allows cloths to accumulate pathogens and become a potential vehicle for cross-contamination when reused on food preparation surfaces.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

Wiping cloth protocols are a recurring focus of health inspections across food service establishments because of their potential role in spreading bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria between surfaces. The FDA Food Code specifies that sanitizing solutions used for cloth storage must be maintained at effective concentration levels and changed regularly.

NYC Health Code Article 81 governs food service establishment sanitation requirements citywide. A critical violation under this framework is defined as a condition that poses a direct risk to public health — meaning inspectors determined the wiping cloth storage practice represented a meaningful sanitation concern rather than a minor procedural gap.

A score of 31 places this location in the Grade C range. The restaurant has five days to request an administrative hearing or correct violations before further enforcement action may follow. A Grade C posting is required to remain publicly displayed at the establishment.

Inspection History

This location's recent inspection record shows variation across visits:

  • 2026-05-05: Score 5 (Grade A)
  • 2026-04-01: Score 31 (Grade C) — current inspection
  • 2025-01-22: Score 22 (Grade N)

The Grade N recorded in January 2025 indicates the restaurant was in its initial inspection cycle at that time, as new or reinspected establishments receive a grade pending a follow-up visit. The Grade A recorded in May 2026 — which postdates the April inspection — reflects a subsequent reinspection in which the location scored well within passing range, suggesting the violations identified in April were addressed.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by the DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the number of points accumulated during an unannounced inspection. Points are added for each violation found, with critical violations carrying higher point values.

  • A: Score of 0–13 points
  • B: Score of 14–27 points
  • C: Score of 28 or more points

Restaurants that receive a B or C on an initial inspection are typically reinspected within a set period. The grade posted at the establishment must reflect the most recent completed inspection cycle. Consumers can look up current grades and full inspection histories through the DOHMH's NYC Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov.

Inspection records are public documents. The data reported here reflects information released by the DOHMH on April 6, 2026, based on the inspection conducted April 1, 2026. Consumers with questions about a specific establishment's compliance status can contact 311 or visit the DOHMH online portal for the most current information.

More About This Restaurant

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