(PatrioticPost.com)- On Wednesday, New York’s Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that indoor dining would finally be returning to New York City following a $2 billion class-action lawsuit against him. It means that restaurants will allow limited capacity indoor dining in the city from the end of September, just in time for the fall, when diners won’t want to continue dining on the city streets.
Cuomo said that restaurants will be limited to just 25% capacity, however, meaning some restaurants who are currently using outdoor dining space may not be able to make as much money in daily revenue as they are right now. Restaurants must keep six feet between each table, too, which is particularly hard for smaller cafes and establishments.
Every patron must have their temperature taken, their personal details must be logged, and the restaurants must be shut by midnight. NYC is no longer the city that doesn’t sleep.
Cuomo announced the news as if it’s positive, but for businesses who will want to continue taking custom through the fall and winter when dining outdoors isn’t an option, it’s no good news at all. Smaller establishments may be serving almost normal capacity with outdoor dining, but their takings will be cut by three quarters under the new indoor dining rules.
Had it not been for a $2 billion class-action lawsuit against Cuomo, which claimed he violated the constitutional rights over 300,000 people employed in the restaurant industry throughout the city, then it may not have happened at all.
More than 350 NYC restaurants took part in the lawsuit. According to ABC7, one restaurant from Queens said that customers are simply walking a few blocks away to enter Nassau County where they can eat indoors if they want to.
“Il Bacco on Northern Boulevard says it is unfair that indoor dining is illegal in Little Neck, but legal just a few blocks east in Great Neck, on Long Island,” ABC reported. “In fact, New York City is the only city in the state that still does not allow some form of indoor dining.”
The owner of Il Bacco, Joe Oppedisano, told the press that restaurants a block and a half away were “packed” while he couldn’t open.
“The restaurant can have customers on its rooftop, but not on the first two floors of the building,” he said. “And winter is coming. The weather is warm now, but what happens two or three weeks from now? And then when it rains? I’m lucky I have a rooftop and I have a cover I can open and close, but once it gets cold, I can’t do that anymore.”
How much more of this can NYC restaurants take?
