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November is here, and for NYC's restaurants, bars, and other F&B businesses, that means the holiday rush is right around the corner. There’s plenty to plan for with all the holiday celebrations between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve — and no shortage of day-to-day challenges to manage along the way.
With that in mind, this month's newsletter highlights items worth your attention, including an opportunity to significantly reduce outstanding Environmental Control Board (ECB) fines, the fast-approaching deadline for New Year's Eve all-night liquor permits, and proposed changes to Dining Out NYC. We're also flagging new compliance requirements and a free workshop to help you prepare for your next health inspection.
Here's hoping the coming weeks bring full dining rooms, strong sales, smooth service, and even a little time to enjoy the holidays yourselves!
Steven Picker & Rosanne Martino
NYC Food and Beverage Industry Partnership at SBS
| | | Submit Your Comments Now! | | Have Old City Debt from a Dirty/Unshoveled Sidewalk or Building Code Violation? | |
Don’t miss your chance to save money with NYC's Debt Demolisher program!
For a limited time, New Yorkers and businesses can resolve eligible Environmental Control Board (ECB) judgments at a reduced cost.
Act now:
💻 nyc.gov/debtdemolisher
📞 311
🏢 NYC Department of Finance Business Center
| | New Year’s Eve All Night Liquor License Permit Deadline | |
November 16, 2026, is the deadline to apply for a permit to serve alcohol on New Year's Eve beyond your standard hours.
Current license holders that wish to stay open later on New Year’s Eve should log into their NYS Liquor Authority account now to apply.
| | Help NYC Understand the World Cup’s Economic Impact | |
NYCEDC is working with Tourism Economics to better understand the World Cup’s economic impact across New York City, including its impact on local businesses and organizations. If your business or organization was involved in World Cup-related activities, we encourage you to complete this brief survey by November 6.
The survey takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. Responses are collected directly by Tourism Economics and kept confidential, with findings reported only in aggregate.
| | Get an A on Your Next Health Inspection | |
The NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) will host a virtual, free food safety workshop for restaurant operators and employees.
Representatives from other city and state agencies will be present to share additional resources for food service businesses.
Date: Wednesday, November 17
Time: 2 - 4 p.m.
| | Registration Open: NYC Winter Restaurant Week 2027 | |
NYC Restaurant Week is held twice a year to promote dining offers at restaurants citywide. The upcoming Winter event will will start on January 19 and end on February 11, 2027.
Participation gives you the opportunity to promote your business to New Yorkers and visitors through one of the city’s largest dining-out campaigns.
Early Bird Registration: by November 11
Regular Registration: November 30 (to guarantee inclusion for website launch)
| | Commercial Waste Zone Roll Out | Brooklyn North & Upper Manhattan | |
Businesses in Brooklyn North and Upper Manhattan must enter into a contract with a zone-authorized private carter between October 1 and November 30, 2026, or they will be assigned a carter at the maximum allowable rate.
This impacts businesses in the following neighborhoods:
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Brooklyn North: Bedford Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint
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Upper Manhattan: Inwood, Fort George, Hudson Heights, Sugar Hill, Hamilton Heights, Central Harlem, Manhattanville, and Morningside Heights
What you need to do:
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Confirm your zone by address and compare maximum carter rates.
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Obtain multiple quotes and negotiate your rate. Save money! Carters must provide recycling and organics collection at a discounted rate compared to trash collection.
- Sign a new written service agreement with a zone-authorized carter and post your green DSNY decal.
| Having Problems with Your Commercial Waste Company? | | Family Meal: The Realities of Running a Restaurant in NYC | |
Steven Picker, Executive Director of the NYC Food & Beverage Industry Partnership at the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), discusses the challenges and opportunities facing restaurant operators with Rethink Food's Founder and CEO Matt Jozwiak.
Drawing on more than 30 years in the industry, Steven shares his perspective on rising costs, workplace culture, and supporting the people behind New York City’s restaurants.
| | Avoid Fines and Violations | | New Requirement for Foodservice Businesses Accepting Online Orders | |
Businesses that accept online orders for pickup or delivery must now include a link to the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)'s ABCEats restaurant grading website.
Third-party delivery platforms that allow customers to place orders for same-day pickup or delivery are also required to provide access to restaurant grading information. Failure to comply may result in a summons and a $100 fine.
Have Questions?
Contact DOHMH's Food Service Establishment Ombuds Office:
📧 infobfscs@health.nyc.gov
📞 212-676-1600
| | New Personnel Records Access Law | |
Effective November 8, 2026, NYS employers must provide current and former employees with a complete copy of their personnel file, at no cost, within five business days of receiving a written request.
Employers must notify employees within ten (10) days whenever information is added to their personnel record that could negatively affect employment, including promotion, transfer, compensation, or discipline.
Employees who disagree with information in their personnel record may request that the information be corrected or removed. If the employer and employee cannot agree, the employee may submit a written statement explaining their position, which must become part of the personnel record.
| | Opioid Antagonist Requirement in First Aid Kits | | Everything You Need To Know To Plan, Launch, and Operate a Successful NYC Restaurant | |
Whether you’re thinking about opening a restaurant or bakery, or have been operating a foodservice business for years, NYC Restaurant Academy has something for you and your managers. All webinar sessions are free.
Prep School:
- Overview 1. Plan & Finance Your Food Business
- Overview 2. Launch & Operate Your Food Business
Topic-Specific Sessions:
- Creating an Effective Restaurant Business Plan
- Food Service Financial Management
- Company Culture & Leadership
- Compliance:
- Food Service Rules & Regulations
- Employment Rules & HR Practices
| |
Unlock Free Advertising Secrets with LinkNYC
Learn the fundamentals of using this low-cost advertising platform for small businesses.
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NYC Free Tax Prep for Self-Employed New Yorkers
Learn the key steps to launch a worker cooperative and build the shared ownership structure your group needs to get started.
| | Small Business Credit Survey | | Share Your Business Experience in the Small Business Credit Survey | |
The Federal Reserve’s 2026 Small Business Credit Survey is now open, and the NYC Department of Small Business Services is a partner in this effort.
Your voice shapes the policies and programs that affect your business.
Owners and key financial decisionmakers of for-profit businesses, share your recent operational and financial experiences, about whether and how you use debt, and more.
Answers to these questions contribute to data that directly inform the Fed, federal government agencies, service providers, policymakers, and others - a public good ultimately benefiting your business and others like yours.
The survey is open to businesses currently in operation, those recently closed, and those about to launch. All responses are confidential.
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The survey closes November 13, 2026.
Questions about the survey? Contact Hal Martin.
| | About the Food and Beverage Industry Partnership | | The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS)’s NYC Food and Beverage Industry Partnership team acts as a convener to drive alignment and collaboration among NYC foodservice industry stakeholders. With input from our advisory groups, we lead strategic thinking to guide city investment in industry-informed services and resources. We work to identify new, actionable ways the city can demonstrate its commitment to support NYC’s food and beverage businesses and workers. | | | | |
