Manhattan, NY — A Subway restaurant at 36 West 46th Street in Midtown Manhattan received a Grade B with a score of 21 following a health inspection conducted on March 16, 2026. The score places the sandwich shop in the upper range of the Grade B bracket, just six points below the Grade C threshold of 28.
The inspection, with data released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 18, 2026, identified one critical violation and no non-critical violations.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors cited the restaurant for a critical violation under Code 06A, related to personal cleanliness standards. The violation documented that personal cleanliness was inadequate, with findings that may include soiled outer garments with possible contaminants, failure to wear effective hair restraints where required, jewelry worn on hands or arms, and fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed.
Personal hygiene violations are classified as critical because food handlers who do not maintain proper cleanliness standards can introduce biological, chemical, or physical contaminants directly into food during preparation and service.
Food Safety Context
Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain strict personal hygiene standards among all food handlers. These requirements align with the FDA Food Code, which mandates that food employees wear clean outer clothing, use effective hair restraints, remove jewelry from hands and arms during food preparation, and maintain clean, trimmed fingernails.
A score of 21 is notable because it sits in the upper portion of the Grade B range. While still within the B designation, the score represents a significant increase from this location's most recent graded result and indicates that the single critical violation carried substantial point weight.
Inspection History
This Subway location's inspection record shows fluctuating scores over the past several years:
- Feb 27, 2025: Score 9, Grade A
- Jan 10, 2025: Score 47 (initial inspection)
- Oct 12, 2023: Score 33, Grade C
- Apr 3, 2023: Score 19 (initial inspection)
- Sep 15, 2022: Score 13, Grade A
- Jul 22, 2022: Score 17 (initial inspection)
The current Grade B marks a decline from the Grade A earned in February 2025, when the restaurant scored just 9 points. The history also shows a previous Grade C in October 2023 with a score of 33, indicating this location has experienced scoring variability across inspection cycles.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
NYC restaurant inspection grades are determined by the total number of violation points recorded during an inspection:
- Grade A: 0–13 points
- Grade B: 14–27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
Restaurants that receive a B or C grade on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection. Grades are required to be posted at the restaurant's entrance.
Consumers can view complete inspection results for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH's public restaurant inspection database. The data referenced in this report reflects publicly available records maintained by the City of New York.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Subway including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.