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Do Broadway Theaters Really Need DOH Letter Grades?
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 19, 2011
Modified Jun 19, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 19, 2011
Modified Jun 19, 2011
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As we well know, all restaurants in the city get letter grades from the DOH, whether or not they decide to show them. Some have even suggested that supermarkets should get them as well. But do Broadway theaters really need grades too?
Because theaters have concession stands, they're subject to the same Health Department inspections and letter grades as regular restaurants, which even the DOH admits sounds a bit funny, considering no cooking is ever done: "Even with the limited food and drink offerings typically found at theaters, there is a risk of food-borne illness if food safety practices are not followed," said agency spokeswoman Zoe Tobin. All of the city's theaters will have been graded by the fall, and will be required to put them on display, just as with restaurants...although, we all know how that's going.
That last point may cause a problem: the director of business affairs for private company Theater Refreshment Co. noted that many theaters are restricted as to where it can post signs. "We post them on the inside of our office door," Krista Lynn Peckyno told Variety Magazine. She added that unannounced inspections have been "an annoyance," with inspectors something coming during performance, or even at intermission, the worst time for concession operators. But she does see a point to the process, which can generate fines from $200 to $2,000 per violation: "It seems to be a good way for the city to make some money," she said skeptically.
Tagged
broadway
concession stands
department of health
doh
letter grades
theaters
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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