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September passed by in a flash, and it’s hard to believe the holiday season is right around the corner. Before we’re all buried under a mountain of Halloween candy, we want to make sure you’re prepared for the hectic months ahead - and remind you that we’re here supporting you.
We’re especially excited about this month's launch of four new topic-specific NYC Restaurant Academy webinars. You don’t need to be a new restaurant operator to benefit from this amazing free resource. The webinars cover essential topics - including compliance, human resources, team leadership, and more - that every foodservice operator should understand to build and maintain a strong, successful operation. We urge you to register and join us!
Wishing you all a smooth, profitable October!
Steven Picker & Rosanne Martino
NYC Food and Beverage Industry Partnership at SBS
| | | 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
| | 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? | | Free Food Safety Workshops | |
Representatives from our team, as well as other city and state agencies, will be available to speak with you at the in-person workshops.
In-Person Workshops
Virtual Workshop
- Wednesday, 11/17, from 2 - 4 p.m.
| | Business Owner Bill of Rights | As part of New York City's commitment to provide New Yorkers with excellent customer service, the Mayor's Office and the City Council created a Business Owner Bill of Rights. | | 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.
| | Avoid Fines and Violations | | Restaurant Fire Safety Guide | The NYC Fire Department (FDNY) has released a Restaurant Fire Safety Guide. It provides a summary of important FDNY requirements which apply to restaurants and other eating and drinking establishments. | | Backflow Prevention: Know Who Is Responsible | |
Backflow prevention responsibilities depend on the type of device. Building-level backflow prevention devices that protect the public water supply are generally the property owner’s responsibility, including required installation, maintenance, testing, and filing with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Foodservice businesses, however, are responsible for required backflow protection associated with their own fixtures and equipment - such as coffee machines, ice machines, dishwashers, etc. These requirements are often reviewed as part of NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) foodservice inspections.
Understanding the difference helps identify what you are responsible for maintaining and when an issue should be addressed with the property owner.
| | Opioid Antagonist Requirement in First Aid Kits | |
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. | | | | |
