Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced that the state is planning to let indoor dining resume at restaurants and food service businesses in New York City on February 14. Restaurants will only be allowed to operate at 25% capacity, compared to a 50% capacity standard for the remainder of the state.

Restaurants in the Five Boroughs will be subject to specific state guidance, available here.

NFIB welcomes the return of indoor dining to one of the world’s finest culinary cities but also recognizes that such severe capacity restrictions will make it extremely difficult for restaurants – already operating on razor-thin margins during the best of times – to generate profit and stay afloat.

We believe that publicly available contact tracing data clearly demonstrates that small businesses prioritize the health and safety of their employees, customers, and communities. As we have done day-in and day-out since the pandemic began 11 months ago, NFIB will continue to be the leading and loudest voice in New York advocating for New York’s economy to be reopened fast, full, and fair.