The gnarly Health Department inspection that shuttered NYC's fully operational Chick-Fil-A continues to tarnish the fried chicken brand's reputation with the C grading it received as a result of that inspection. As it's required to do, the restaurant displays its dishonorable grade in the front window, accompanied by a note from the restaurant's franchisee, Oscar Fittipaldi, explaining the unfortunate circumstances. Come on Oscar, that's nothing a well-placed flag can't fix.
(Christopher Robbins/Gothamist)
"The Grade C posted here is representative of an inspection from December 24th, 2015," the note explains. "We voluntarily closed our doors after the inspection to address the citations and make restaurant improvements. We passed a subsequent inspection on January 13th: however, this grade will stand until the health department conducts its next graded inspection."
Information on the DOH's website confirms Fittipaldi's statements, showing that the restaurant only received two violation points during the January inspection; the DOH did not immediately return requests for comment on any other inspection-related findings. Fittipaldi did not immediately respond to our emailed questions either.
Despite the crummy grade, the restaurant was packed with sandwich seekers this afternoon. "I heard that if you get a B, it means that people aren't properly trained or don't have their food handlers certificate, so for them to get a C, that's pretty shitty," customer Frank Spaulding-Bey said. Pressed for whether he'd still grab his lunch there despite the bad grade: "Oh yeah, I love Chik Fil A, and they're open for business, so."
(Christopher Robbins/Gothamist)
When asked if the grade bothered her, Kyra, who declined to give her last name, said, "Somewhat, but it's Chik Fil A!" Loyalty to the restaurant apparently eclipses any negative perception the letter grade might offer. If the chain's abysmal stance on LGBTQ rights won't turn people off, apparently some filth flies won't, either.
Additional reporting by Christopher Robbins.
