Only 40 Restaurants Approved for Outdoor Dining and What To Do
Earlier this week, the NYC Hospitality Alliance joined NYC Comptroller Lander to reveal that only 40 out of 3,500 restaurants that applied have received outdoor dining permits so far. At the peak of the pandemic-era program, it’s estimated that 12,500 restaurants had an outdoor dining setup, leading to 11,720 jobs, resulting in $373 million of total annual wages, and generating $9.6 million annual income tax to the City, plus significant sales tax revenue.
We’ve spoken and now the City Council, Comptroller, and City Hall are all listening. We are building momentum for sensible reforms first advocated for by the NYC Hospitality Alliance. These reforms will require action by the Department of Transportation and the City Council. So, we will need our industry’s support and participation. Reforms include:
- Commit to a clear application processing time
- Offer an option for year-round roadway dining
- Permit safe sidewalk café enclosures
- Allow more flexibility for safe sidewalk café clearances
- Improve the user-friendliness of the application process
- Clarify scaffolding requirements
To learn more, follow our e-newsletter and social media at @theNYCalliance – where we will provide more detail about the reforms soon.
Despite the troubling situation, the NYC Hospitality Alliance maintains a very good relationship with the Department of Transportation, and we know they are working hard and are eager to get through the application backlog, so if you are having issues, contact the NYC Hospitality Alliance for help, or we urge you to contact your DOT contact ASAP.