New York restaurants run on tight margins, later hours, and zero room for inspection drama.
Cleaning here follows that energy. Labor costs are higher. Kitchens run hotter and longer. BOH gets hammered with grease. FOH needs to look spotless even after a double-turn Friday.
The point is simple – NYC pricing has its own gravitational pull. If you try to apply national averages, your budget will be off and your ops will feel it.
We’ll break down the real cost drivers, pricing structures vendors use, and how to ballpark your monthly number without guessing.
Key Notes
NYC restaurant cleaning typically ranges $300–$3,000+ monthly, depending on size and frequency.
FOH vs BOH pricing differs sharply, with BOH driving up to 70% of total cost.
Deep kitchen cleaning in NYC averages $500–$1,500+ based on size and grease levels.
NYC Restaurant Cleaning Services Cost Overview
Let’s anchor the conversation before we zoom in:
Monthly contracts for NYC restaurants typically land $300 to $3,000+, driven by size, frequency, and back-of-house intensity.
Per-visit pricing for standard upkeep often runs $100 to $300 for FOH and $500 to $1,500+ for BOH deep tasks.
Hourly rates commonly sit between $50 and $150 per cleaner in NYC.
Per square foot pricing ranges $0.10 to $0.30, with BOH on the higher end due to grease and compliance.
Treat these as signposts, not hard caps.
Monthly Cost by Restaurant Size
Small (under 2,000 sq ft)
Most pay $300 to $600 per month for basic weekly cleaning. This typically covers FOH floors and surfaces, restrooms, trash, and light touch in BOH if you keep up with daily staff tasks.
Medium (2,000 to 5,000 sq ft)
Expect $500 to $1,000 monthly depending on layout and frequency. Kitchens with fryers, grills, or higher grease output will creep up if the BOH needs more than routine wipe-downs.
Large (5,000+ sq ft)
Budgets start around $1,000 and climb to $3,000+.
At this scale, cleaning becomes a choreography problem. You pay for time, crew size, and the complexity of moving through stations without slowing prep or service.
What separates these tiers is not only square footage but density – tight lines, equipment packed wall-to-wall, and hard-to-reach vents add time. Time adds cost.
Pricing Models You’ll See
Hourly
Straightforward when scopes shift. You are billed $50 to $150 per hour per cleaner, and you approve estimated hours.
Good for variable needs, seasonal rushes, or post-event spikes.
Per Square Foot
Useful for steady footprints and stable task lists. Expect $0.10 to $0.30 per sq ft. FOH trends lower. BOH trends higher. Deep tasks are usually not included here.
Per Visit
Fixed-fee sessions build predictability into the week. Typical FOH upkeep runs $100 to $300 per visit. BOH deep sessions land $500 to $1,500+ depending on scope.
Hybrid
Common in NYC. Think hourly minimum to open the door plus per sq ft for FOH, then a flat fee for BOH deep zones.
Hybrid models protect both sides when a floor plan hides surprises.
How Costs Are Calculated in Practice
Here is the clean way most operators back into a defensible number:
Estimate labor hours. Base it on square footage, task list, and condition. A 3,000 sq ft space that is well-maintained might need 3 to 4 labor hours for FOH upkeep. BOH adds specialized time if grease has built up.
Apply the NYC labor reality. Use $50 to $150 per hour depending on the provider and crew seniority.
Add overhead and supplies. Many vendors roll this in. If broken out, assume 10–20%.
Markup for margin. Sustainable vendors target 10–30% profit depending on risk and after-hours demands.
Adjust for frequency. Daily plans reduce per-visit time by keeping buildup in check. Weekly-only plans save on frequency but can stretch each session.
Example:
3,000 sq ft bistro, mixed seating, open kitchen.
FOH upkeep estimate: 2.5 hours x $80 = $200
BOH light maintenance add: 1.5 hours x $90 = $135
Supplies/overhead at 15%: $50
Provider margin at 20%: $77
Per visit total: About $462
Weekly plan (4x): About $1,848 per month
Run the same math with a per sq ft approach at $0.20 on FOH (2,000 sq ft) and $0.35 on BOH (1,000 sq ft) and you will land in a similar ballpark. That is the point. The structure changes. The physics do not.
FOH vs BOH: Why The Kitchen Drives The Budget
Front-of-house is presentation. Back-of-house is compliance and safety. The market prices that difference in.
FOH typical pricing: $0.10 to $0.20 per sq ft or $30 to $50 per hour, with many restaurants paying $100 to $300 per visit for floors, surfaces, glass, and restrooms.
BOH typical pricing: $0.25 to $0.50 per sq ft or $75 to $150 per hour, with deep sessions commonly $500 to $1,500+.
In practice, BOH often drives 60–70% of the cleaning budget for grease-heavy concepts. Equipment scrubs, degreasing, drains, grout lines, and behind-appliance cleaning take time and require stronger chemistry.
Deep Cleaning a Restaurant Kitchen in NYC
Small kitchens (under 1,000 sq ft): $300 to $800 for a basic deep session. Expect appliance exteriors, floors, walls, and select equipment interiors.
Medium kitchens (1,000 to 2,500 sq ft): $500 to $1,200. Adds hoods and filters, drains, grout lines, and tougher degreasing.
Large kitchens (2,500+ sq ft): $1,000 to $2,500+. Multi-hour crews, more equipment disassembly, and ventilation attention.
Vendors price deep cleans either hourly at $50 to $150 or per sq ft at $0.30 to $0.50. Heavier grease can add 20–50%.
One-off emergencies cost more than scheduled quarterly sessions.
Hoods, Vents & Exhaust: The Compliance Line Item
Hood systems live in their own category because fire code lives there too. NYC kitchens often budget these as standalone line items, done by certified technicians.
Typical adders include:
Hood and filter cleaning inside and out
Duct and fan cleaning at scheduled intervals
Photo or written documentation after service
Pricing varies by system size and access, but many restaurants plan $200 to $500 extra per visit for hood and vent work as part of a broader deep session.
High-volume fry lines may require more frequent cycles.
Frequency & Its Impact on Monthly Spend
Frequency is strategy. Pick it well and you reduce cost per visit without letting standards slip.
Daily service: $50 to $100 per day for consistent, lighter maintenance. Keeps the place steady and shortens deep sessions.
Weekly service: $100 to $300 per week for restaurants with strong in-house routines. Savings show up monthly, but each visit runs longer.
Monthly deep cycles: Use this when grease loads are manageable and your crew is disciplined. Large BOH tasks live here.
A smart plan blends daily or weekly FOH with monthly or quarterly BOH deep work. That balance lowers the total cost of cleanliness across a quarter, not just a single night.
Choosing The Right Plan For Your Operation
Start with your bottlenecks, not your budget.
If inspections cause stress, weight your plan toward BOH and documented hood work. If guest presentation slips on busy nights, put more cadence into FOH. Then decide the structure that matches your predictability needs.
New concepts. Begin with a short contract. Calibrate scope over the first month. Lock in once the pace feels right.
High-volume or fry-heavy kitchens. Budget for monthly deep BOH and frequent hood cycles. It is cheaper than failed inspections.
Lean teams. Use nightly FOH support to keep the floor steady and save your cooks for prep.
Quote hygiene. Ask for clear scopes, frequency, add-on triggers, and whether supplies are included. Clarity is currency.
The right plan does two things well – it keeps your space guest-ready, and your staff focused on food.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do restaurant cleaning companies work during operating hours?
Most NYC crews prefer after-hours cleaning to avoid slowing service, but many will work during prep windows or between shifts if the space allows safe access. It usually requires a tighter scope and a clear walkthrough.
Are cleaning chemicals used in restaurants food-safe?
Reputable vendors use commercial-grade, food-safe degreasers and sanitizers approved for kitchen environments. Stronger chemicals are reserved for non-food surfaces, hoods, and vents to stay compliant with NYC health codes.
How long does a typical restaurant cleaning session take?
A standard FOH/BOH maintenance visit runs 1.5 to 3 hours depending on size and condition. Deep cleaning or hood work can stretch to 4–8 hours with multi-person crews, especially in grease-heavy kitchens.
Can cleaning companies help with NYC inspection prep?
Yes. Many offer pre-inspection resets, checklist-based cleaning, and documentation for hood systems or high-touch areas. It’s often a separate service, but it can significantly reduce the risk of point deductions.
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Conclusion
Here’s the part most restaurant owners don’t hear often enough: cleaning costs aren’t random. They follow a rhythm.
Small NYC restaurants usually land between $300 and $600 a month, mid-size spots run $500 to $1,000, and larger operations cross into $1,000 to $3,000+ once BOH intensity kicks in. Hourly rates climb from $50 to $150, deep kitchen sessions hit $500 to $1,500+, and hood or vent work sits in its own bucket for fire code compliance.
When you put it all together, the cost of restaurant cleaning services makes sense – it tracks time, grease load, layout, and the pressure of staying inspection-ready in a city that never slows down.
If you want numbers tailored to your hours, layout, and kitchen setup, a quick walkthrough is all it takes. We’ll map the scope and quote clearly – with 20% off your first clean. Book your free consultation now.
