Manhattan, NY — A recent health inspection at Wendy's, located at 2565 Broadway on Manhattan's Upper West Side, resulted in a score of 36, placing the restaurant in Grade C territory — the lowest grade in New York City's restaurant grading system.

The inspection, conducted on March 3, 2026, identified one critical violation related to improper food temperature control. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) cited the violations, and the data was publicly released on March 5, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

During the inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented a single critical violation under Code 02B: hot time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food items were not being held at or above 140 °F.

TCS foods — which include cooked meats, poultry, dairy products, cooked vegetables, and other items prone to bacterial growth — must be maintained at proper temperatures to prevent the rapid multiplication of harmful pathogens. When hot foods fall below the 140 °F threshold, they enter what food safety experts refer to as the "temperature danger zone" (between 41 °F and 140 °F), where bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Clostridium perfringens can multiply rapidly.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

The temperature holding requirements cited in this inspection are rooted in both local and federal food safety regulations. NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the standards for food service establishments operating within the five boroughs, including requirements for proper food storage, handling, and temperature maintenance.

These local standards align with the FDA Food Code, which specifies that hot TCS foods must be held at 140 °F or above after cooking. The FDA Food Code notes that foodborne pathogens can begin multiplying within minutes when food is held in the danger zone, and that foods left in this range for extended periods may pose a risk to consumer health even if later reheated.

For a high-volume fast food operation like Wendy's, where items are prepared and held for service throughout the day, maintaining proper holding temperatures is a fundamental component of food safety protocol. Holding equipment such as steam tables, heat lamps, and warming drawers must be functioning correctly and monitored regularly to ensure compliance.

The score of 36 reflects the point values assigned to the violations documented during the inspection. In the NYC restaurant grading system, higher scores indicate more or more serious violations.

Inspection History

No prior inspection history is available in the DOHMH public database for this location. This may indicate that the establishment is relatively new, has recently changed ownership, or that earlier records fall outside the current data window maintained by the department.

Future inspections will establish a compliance record for this location. Restaurants that receive initial scores in the Grade C range are typically scheduled for a re-inspection, during which they have the opportunity to correct cited violations and potentially achieve a lower score.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total violation points accumulated during an inspection:

  • A: 0–13 points — The restaurant is in substantial compliance with food safety regulations.
  • B: 14–27 points — The restaurant has some violations that need to be addressed.
  • C: 28 or more points — The restaurant has significant violations requiring correction.

With a score of 36, this Wendy's location falls into the Grade C category. Restaurants receiving a Grade C may request an adjudicatory hearing and are typically subject to a re-inspection cycle. The grade must be posted at the establishment's entrance where it is visible to the public.

Consumers can look up inspection results for any restaurant in New York City through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available online at the NYC Open Data portal. These records are updated regularly as new inspections are conducted and data is processed by the department.

More About This Restaurant

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