Starting Wednesday, the city's 24,000 restaurants began posting letter grades of their health inspections.

Earlier in the day, City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley presented Spark’s Deli in Long Island City, Queens with the Department of Health’s first "A" grade for sanitary conditions.

"They looked everywhere, closets, storage, freezers, refrigerators. They look everywhere," said Spark's Deli owner Jose Araujo.

Only the placards designating an A are expected to go up today, since restaurants that receive a B or C grade will automatically be reinspected within a month.

DOH officials say the lower grades will start appearing after a month's time.

It could be more than a year before all restaurants have grades posted.

The city implemented the new letter grade system after statistics showed more than 10,000 people end up in the emergency room due to poor hygiene and food handling in restaurants.

"The letter grading that we're talking about here today does two things: first it gives customers the information that the Health Department has, but that they want and deserve to have, and second, it provides an incentive for restaurants to improve their food preparation practices,” explained Farley.

Critics charge the grading system will put restaurants out of business.

"Something like a dented can, not a big gauge, just a tiny dent that was not segregated from other cans could be the difference between an 'A' and a 'B' or a 'B' or a 'C,'" said Andrew Rigie of the New York Restaurant Association.

As far as diners are concerned, some say the new postings will make them think twice before sitting down. Others, however, say they're not sure how to gauge the grades.

"I would definitely change my view of the restaurant. I would avoid restaurants that are rated 'C' for sure," said one restaurant goer.

"It's probably hard for an average diner what that means. Like what is an 'A' 'B' or 'C,' did you see an ant somewhere once?" said another.

Other restaurants that received "A" ratings Wednesday were Victory Sweet Shop and Shake 2 Shape in Astoria, Queens; Crescent Corner in Long Island City, Queens; Sancho’s Restaurant in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and LG Pizza in the Bronx.