You'll sometimes see a blue “Grade Pending” card in a NYC restaurant window instead of a letter. It's not a bad sign on its own — here's what it actually means.
A grade hasn't been finalized yet
When a restaurant scores in B or C territory on an initial inspection, it can contest the result at a hearing before the grade is finalized. While that plays out, the restaurant can post “Grade Pending” instead of the preliminary letter.
Grade Pending means the outcome isn't final — it does not mean the restaurant failed, and it doesn't mean it passed. Radius never converts a pending status into a fabricated letter; pending stays pending.
What to look at instead
When a grade is pending, look at the underlying inspection score and violations from that visit, plus the restaurant's history of past grades. Those tell you more than the pending label alone.