Live mas, but let the cops in when they come knocking, Boston officials tell Taco Bell

How do you check for overcrowding at a closed restaurant at midnight?

All of the things you list could be completed during normal business hours with the side perk of having management present. Better yet you will not have to wait in the rain for 5 minutes... those poor things.

Warrants apply to the search of private property, exceptions to this have been made WRT alcohol businesses and firearm businesses, but those exceptions are quite limited.

https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/387/52...
(d) Warrantless administrative searches cannot be justified on the grounds that they make minimal demands on occupants;

dupe

https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/436/30...

3. Search warrants which are required in nonemergency situations should normally be sought only after entry is refused.

a) The rule that warrantless searches are generally unreasonable applies to commercial premises as well as homes. Camara v. Municipal Court, supra, and See v. Seattle, supra.

Until I READ THAT in this blog post, it would never have occurred to me that 911 would have that info. As such, on a rainy night, past midnight, I wouldn't call 911 unless I was feeling threatened by the plain-clothes guys at the door.

I am curious where you came to that conclusion after reading the case law?

(a) The rule that warrantless searches are generally unreasonable applies to commercial premises as well as homes. Camara v. Municipal Court, supra, and See v. Seattle, supra.

(b) Though an exception to the search warrant requirement has been recognized for "closely regulated" industries "long subject to close supervision and inspection," Colonnade Catering Corp. v. United States, 397 U. S. 72, 397 U. S. 74, 397 U. S. 77, that exception does not apply simply because the business is in interstate commerce. Pp. 436 U. S. 313-314.

(c) Nor does an employer's necessary utilization of employees in his operation mean that he has opened areas where the employees alone are permitted to the warrantless scrutiny of Government agents. Pp. 436 U. S. 314-315.

(d) Insofar as experience to date indicates, requiring warrants to make OSHA inspections will impose no serious burdens on the inspection system or the courts. The advantages of surprise through the opportunity of inspecting without prior notice will not be lost if, after entry to an inspector is refused, an ex parte warrant can be obtained, facilitating an inspector's reappearance at the premises without further notice; and appellant Secretary's entitlement to a warrant will not depend on his demonstrating probable cause to believe that conditions on the premises

Here is case law for your perusal specifically regarding 'administrative inspections"

(c) Contrary to the assumption of Frank v. Maryland, supra, Fourth Amendment interests are not merely "peripheral" where municipal fire, health, and housing inspection programs are involved whose purpose is to determine the existence of physical conditions not complying with local ordinances. Those programs, moreover, are enforceable by criminal process, as is refusal to allow an inspection.

(d) Warrantless administrative searches cannot be justified on the grounds that they make minimal demands on occupants;

https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/387/52...