EDITORIAL
THE GREAT
OUTDOOR PLAN
Outdoor dining might one day be considered as
the program that saved New York City’s restaurant
industry.
After COVID-19 hit New York in March,
eateries across the city had to shut down completely,
or move all dining service to takeout or delivery only.
Some closed their doors for good; others used the limited
service to eke out a living until the arrival of outdoor
dining in June.
Has outdoor dining restored the city’s restaurant
industry to full health? Of course not. These businesses
remained mired in debt and weighed down by high or
overdue rents. Thousands of workers have lost their
jobs; hundreds of entrepreneurs lost their livelihoods.
The impromptu expansion of outdoor dining in New
York did, however, provide a lifeline to restaurants to
restart with the economy. And thousands of eateries
jumped at the chance to make it work, using the city
streets to create seating areas and allow diners to safely
return.
The program worked so well that talk began of
making outdoor dining in New York City a permanent
fixture on the urban landscape. Fortunately, the City
Council agreed — and on Thursday, it passed legislation
moving forward a plan to extend the program
through at least September 2021.
That means restaurants will be able to offer outdoor
dining through the cold months of fall and winter,
with the assistance of heaters. Indoor dining remains
very limited citywide, and depending on the spread of
COVID-19 through the winter, there’s no guarantee it
will expand anytime soon.
More importantly, the legislation mandates that the
City Council create a permanent outdoor dining program
beyond next September that will permit restaurants
to use roadways for seating areas.
The benefits for restaurant owners stand to be significant
once indoor dining returns to full capacity. An
eatery could essentially increase their seating areas
without paying a dime more in rent, or thousands to
renovate their premises.
With more seats in place, more customers will
come and spend their money. That will force the restaurateurs
to hire more staff, thus creating jobs. The
increased business will result in greater tax revenue
for the city.
In short, outdoor dining has the potential for being
part of New York’s comeback — ushering in a new era
of enterprise, success and prosperity to bring us back
stronger than before the pandemic.
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Outdoor dining has the potential for being part of New York City’s comeback. Photo by Dean Moses
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