--- title: "NYC restaurant inspection date 1900: opening research" description: "Read NYC's 1900 inspection placeholder without inventing an opening date. Separate permit identity, extract dates, observations, and confirmed trading." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/nyc-restaurant-inspection-sentinel-new-opening-research" --- ## Site navigation - [Scale With Search](https://scalewithsearch.com/) - Services - Services - [AI systems](https://scalewithsearch.com/ai-systems) - [Site build](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#site-build) - [Whole website fix](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#whole-website-fix) - [Content library with SEO](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#content-library) - [Working session](https://scalewithsearch.com/audit) - Start here - [Send your brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#send-your-brief) - [Example scope](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#review-the-example-scope) - [Prices and terms](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#prices-and-terms) - Industries - Real estate - [Real estate agents and teams](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate) - [Platforms, ownership, and IDX](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-platforms-ownership-idx) - [Search, content, and AI](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-search-content-ai) - [Inquiries, campaigns, and handoffs](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-inquiries-campaigns-handoffs) - [Buyer, seller, and local pages](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-buyer-seller-local-resources) - [Rules, privacy, and trust](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-rules-privacy-trust) - Browse by business - [Trades and home services](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-trades) - [Health, wellness, and animal care](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-practices) - [Law, finance, and IT](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-professional) - [Marketing and SEO agencies](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-agencies) - [Shops and manufacturers](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-manufacturing) - [Restaurants, shops, studios, and nonprofits](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-local-services) - Chiropractic practices - [Chiropractic and wellness practices](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/chiropractic-and-wellness-practices) - [Chiropractic and physical therapy clinics](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/chiropractic-and-physical-therapy-clinics) - [All industries](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/) - Resources - Free tools - [AI readiness check](https://scalewithsearch.com/check) - [Free tools](https://scalewithsearch.com/tools/) - [Free Starter Kit](https://scalewithsearch.com/kit/business-memory-starter-kit.zip) - Guides - [AI-native library](https://scalewithsearch.com/ai-native) - [Industry intelligence](https://scalewithsearch.com/intelligence) - [Office job guides](https://scalewithsearch.com/guides/) - [Business memory](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/business-memory-for-ai-agents-guide) - [Agent governance](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/ai-agent-governance-guide-small-business) - [Migration and ownership](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/leaving-vendor-ai-memory-guide) - Articles - [All articles](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/) - [What changed](https://scalewithsearch.com/changes/) - About - Evidence - [Proof](https://scalewithsearch.com/proof) - Scale With Search - [About](https://scalewithsearch.com/about) - [How it works](https://scalewithsearch.com/how-it-works) # NYC restaurant inspection dates: what the 1900 sentinel says about a possible opening A restaurant inspection date of `1900-01-01` is a placeholder. NYC explains that it identifies a new establishment that has not yet received an inspection. It is no evidence of a visit in 1900. [DOHMH dataset description](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/43nn-pn8j.json). For a hospitality operator researching possible neighbors, that row can justify a confirmation question. It cannot supply an opening date, a failed inspection, or proof that the restaurant is trading. Keep those conclusions unresolved until suitable evidence supports them. The [restaurant and hospitality overview](/for/restaurants-and-hospitality) covers everyday office work. This guide addresses a narrower research task: reading an establishment record without turning an administrative placeholder into a public claim about a business. ## Start with what the dataset includes DOHMH describes inspection results for restaurants and college cafeterias in active status on the record date. It also includes permit applicants awaiting inspection. Inspection history extends up to three years before the most recent inspection. [Official source notice](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/43nn-pn8j/files/0658bb14-1b0a-4fc6-b389-d42ae6e9d3be?download=true). Read “active” as part of the publisher's coverage description. Because uninspected applicants are included, presence alone cannot establish a customer-facing opening. Your research card needs a separate field for what staff independently confirmed. The source notice says establishments leaving business are removed. It warns against comparing this changing dataset with prior years as a historical inspection analysis. A current extract is not a complete business-opening and closure register. For opening research, preserve the boundary in your own wording. “Possible establishment requiring confirmation” is a useful internal label. “New restaurant opened this week” requires evidence the placeholder does not provide. If your question concerns hotels, do not quietly extend this source to lodging establishments. A restaurant-related record and a hotel opening answer different questions. Identify an appropriate source before expanding the research scope. ## Keep four dates in four fields Use separate fields for the inspection date, record date, first observation, and confirmed opening date. Each answers a different question. Combining them makes a research card appear more certain than its evidence. The current metadata defines `inspection_date` as the inspection date, with `1/1/1900` meaning no inspection yet. It defines `record_date` as the extract date. [DOHMH current field descriptions](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/43nn-pn8j.json). The older attached dictionary describes RECORD DATE as the date the record entered the dataset. The current metadata and source notice describe the data pull. Preserve that documentation difference. Neither description makes RECORD DATE a confirmed opening date. [Attached dictionary](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/43nn-pn8j/files/ec33d2c8-81f5-499a-a238-0213a38239cd?download=true). Define **first observation** as the first time your own research record captured the establishment. This is your observation, not an agency field. If your archive begins today, the first observation says nothing about how long the applicant existed before today. Reserve **confirmed opening date** for separately checked evidence addressing actual opening. Record the basis and the date you checked it. If only current trading is confirmed, keep the earlier opening date unknown. **Inspection date.** Read it as the source's inspection date or its documented uninspected placeholder. It does not identify when public trading began. **Record date.** Read it as the accompanying source record or extract date, with the documentation difference retained. It does not identify application submission or launch. **First observation.** Read it as the first capture in your research archive. It does not identify the city's first observation of the establishment. **Confirmed opening date.** Read it as the date supported by independent opening evidence. It does not establish any unstated earlier operating history. Do not calculate an applicant's waiting time from the 1900 placeholder. A calculation would produce a number, but its starting point has no such meaning. If the application date matters, identify evidence for that date separately. ## Identify the establishment before counting it DOHMH uses CAMIS as the establishment identifier. The dictionary describes it as static per restaurant permit. It also says the public business name can change. [Restaurant inspection data dictionary](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/43nn-pn8j/files/ec33d2c8-81f5-499a-a238-0213a38239cd?download=true). Use the source identifier to organize your internal research. Keep a business name as a separate attribute, with uncertainty visible. A familiar name does not resolve whether a new row concerns the same permit or a different establishment. When identity remains unclear, stop the comparison at that question. Do not combine two records because their names resemble each other. Do not split one identity merely because the name wording changed between observations. A manager can assign a simple internal label while the match remains unresolved. The label should help staff revisit the record. It should not resemble an official business identifier or imply that the identity question has been settled. Keep personal contacts out of the research card. This task needs source meaning and establishment identity, not an owner's phone number. A public administrative dataset is not an instruction to collect every available field. ## Repeated rows do not mean repeated openings One inspection can produce multiple violation rows. DOHMH explains that associated fields repeat for each additional violation. It also includes inspections with no violations. [DOHMH record structure](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/43nn-pn8j/files/0658bb14-1b0a-4fc6-b389-d42ae6e9d3be?download=true). Keep three concepts separate in your reading: establishment, inspection, and violation row. A raw row count answers none of those questions reliably without interpretation. It certainly does not count new openings. Imagine a synthetic extract with three rows carrying the same establishment identifier and inspection context. Different violation entries would not make those rows three neighboring businesses. They would not describe three opening announcements either. For a research list, group the material around the establishment question before counting candidates. Preserve the inspection context when it helps explain repeated rows. Leave technical consolidation to a separately defined process if your records become too complex for manual review. Avoid treating a missing grade as a positive or negative assessment. This guide does not interpret hygiene performance. The opening question is whether suitable evidence confirms trading and, separately, its start date. The source also warns about missing and illogical values from administrative systems. If the identity or dates conflict, retain the conflict in the card. Do not fix an inconvenient field by guessing what the agency intended. ## Use a synthetic research card This fictional card illustrates a cautious internal note. It represents no business, person, address, permit, or current source row. Its dates demonstrate distinctions rather than report an observed opening. | Research field | Synthetic card entry | | --- | --- | | Internal label | Candidate A, identity unresolved | | Source | DOHMH restaurant inspection dataset | | Source inspection date | 1900-01-01, uninspected placeholder | | Source record date | 2026-10-26, preserved as supplied | | Retrieved | 2026-10-28 at the researcher's recorded local time | | First observation | 2026-10-28, first capture in this fictional archive | | Identity confidence | Unresolved until staff checks the establishment match | | Confirmed public trading | Unknown | | Confirmed opening date | Unknown | | Next question | Does current first-party information confirm public trading? | | Responsible role | Hospitality manager | | Decision | Hold as research; make no public opening claim | In this example, the extract date is two calendar days earlier than retrieval. Keep that difference visible as source age. It does not tell you whether a business opened during the intervening period. Suppose the manager later finds a current first-party statement confirming trading. Record its wording, source, and check date. Update the confirmed-trading field only to the extent that evidence supports it. If the statement announces a future opening, retain it as an announced plan. A planned date remains separate from an observed opening. If the statement provides no start date, keep the opening-date field unknown. If another staff member cannot verify the identity match, keep the original uncertainty. Adding a second observation does not settle a mismatch. A useful card may end with a precise unanswered question. ## Ask a confirmation question the source can answer Choose the next question before searching further. “Is this permit applicant the establishment we are researching?” concerns identity. “Is it serving the public now?” concerns current trading. “When did it first open?” concerns history. Different evidence may answer each question. A current first-party page might address present service without dating the opening. An opening announcement might name a planned date without confirming that the plan happened. Write the narrow result beside the question. If evidence establishes only an announced plan, use those words. Keep a manager's interpretation separate from the source statement so a later reviewer can inspect both. Do not convert this research process into automatic outreach. A possible establishment does not establish a relationship, a need, or permission for a message. Any later commercial decision belongs to the responsible person and its own review. The [hospitality intelligence guide](/intelligence/restaurants-and-hospitality) places opening research beside other operating questions. Keep its purpose narrow here: identify which possible neighbor merits further checking. It supplies no competitive allegation or forecast. ## Handle later changes without inventing a story If a later extract shows an inspection date replacing the sentinel, record the change. That supports a change in the observed inspection record. It does not establish the exact day public trading began. If a row disappears, record absence from the extract you inspected. Do not label it a confirmed closure. The source's active-establishment coverage and administrative limitations make that inference too broad for this task. If a business name changes, reopen the identity question before carrying forward conclusions. Preserve the earlier observation instead of overwriting it. The comparison should show which fact changed and which interpretation remains unresolved. Keep your research history in records your business controls. The [business memory guide](/articles/business-memory-for-ai-agents-guide) explains the broader principle. For opening research, retain source age, identity corrections, and the evidence supporting each accepted conclusion. ## Keep event planning on its own evidence A possible restaurant opening is not a permitted street event. For setup, breakdown, and delivery-access questions, use the sibling [NYC event permit timing guide](/articles/nyc-event-permit-times-restaurant-closure-planning). Keep establishment dates out of an attendee schedule. The [Event demand calendar](/tools/event-demand-calendar) concerns the event side of that distinction. Inspect its current page before relying on it. It cannot turn a DOHMH placeholder into evidence of trading or a launch date. When a recurring research handoff merits a dedicated tool, start with the question, approved fields, and manager's review responsibility. Define unresolved identity and stale evidence as visible outcomes. Scale With Search keeps paid scope at [the work page](/work). ## Source note Sources reopened on 2026.10.28: DOHMH metadata, the **restaurant inspection dictionary**, and the **source notice**. Their filenames carry dates of 2018.09.24 and 2022.05.02. Those are attachment labels, not proof of later revisions. The RECORD DATE wording differs across documents, as explained above. No named establishment findings, opening counts, or hygiene assessments are published here. Continue the website review: [AI-native hospitality: first functions to build](/articles/ai-native-hospitality-first-functions); [Build a catering inquiry page with clear request steps](/articles/catering-website-inquiry-form-checklist); [Hospitality AI rules: data, approvals, and spend](/articles/hospitality-ai-rules-data-approvals-spend); [Describe hotel room accessibility with checked facts](/articles/hotel-accessible-room-website-description); [Check your hotel's direct booking website path](/articles/hotel-direct-booking-website-handoff); [Hotel website fees: check the price guests see](/articles/hotel-website-mandatory-fees-price-check); [NYC event permit times: separate street setup from restaurant demand](/articles/nyc-event-permit-times-restaurant-closure-planning); [Restaurant gift card pages: check the purchase links](/articles/restaurant-gift-card-website-links); [Fix restaurant ordering and reservation links on Google](/articles/restaurant-google-ordering-reservation-links); [Fix restaurant holiday hours on Google and your website](/articles/restaurant-holiday-hours-google-website); [Restaurant event pages: publish each live music date](/articles/restaurant-live-music-event-pages); [Fix a restaurant menu that is wrong on Google](/articles/restaurant-menu-wrong-on-google); [Restaurant directions: explain parking and the entrance](/articles/restaurant-parking-entrance-directions-page); [Restaurant phone links: reach the correct location](/articles/restaurant-phone-links-correct-location). [restaurants and hospitality businesses](/for/restaurants-and-hospitality): website and search resources. ## Related: restaurants and hospitality businesses - [Restaurant gift card pages: check the purchase links](/articles/restaurant-gift-card-website-links) - [Fix restaurant ordering and reservation links on Google](/articles/restaurant-google-ordering-reservation-links) - [Fix restaurant holiday hours on Google and your website](/articles/restaurant-holiday-hours-google-website) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. 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