Under Pressure: Cuomo Will Announce a Restaurant Plan on Friday

In a complete flip from 48 hours earlier, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on January 27 that he would release a plan for New York City restaurants by the end of the week. Two days earlier he said that the easing of COVID-era restrictions which he would announce on Friday would not include a relaxation of the ban on indoor dining in New York City. Now, the local hospitality industry is anticipating that he may allow New York City restaurants to begin indoor dining at 25% capacity. With Valentine's Day coming, many restaurant owners are hoping for 50% capacity.

Cuomo will meet with Mayor Bill de Blasio, health officials, restaurant leaders, and other local stakeholders to fashion a strategy for city restaurants. He said that officials were calculating the level of safety in resuming quarter-capacity indoor dining. He declined to lift the 10 p.m. curfew for restaurants, however, speculating that a later mandatory closure hour could spark larger crowds.

"I fully understand how difficult it is that they're closed, not just for the restaurants but all the people who are employed there. On the flip side is how fast this virus can take off," Cuomo said, "but we'll have a plan by the end of the week."

Cuomo allowed 25%-capacity indoor dining in New York City in early October, then suspended all indoor dining about six weeks later in mid-December. Anticipating a "holiday spike" in infections, which did happen, he targeted the city due to its population density and its history as the epicenter of the virus in its early days. Since then, city restaurants have been limited to outdoor dining, delivery and take-out service. All service must end at 10 p.m.

Jack Marcin Wisniewski performed indoors for diners seated outdoors at the Anyway Café on January 27

The Restaurant Industry Responds

After affirming the rigidity of the ban on January 25, Cuomo received the widely-reported support of Mayor Bill de Blasio on January 26. Conversely, however, the governor also fielded mounting opposition from the NYC Hospitality Alliance, the New York State Restaurants Association, and other food service businesses. Even news reporters at his press conferences challenged him. The hospitality industry is demonstrating appreciation for Cuomo's reversal, but is asking for more concessions.

NYC Hospitality Alliance's statement posted on social media on January 27

"Thanks to ongoing advocacy efforts, a media push and social media campaign by the NYS Restaurant Association and our members, the Governor made a couple of notable announcements today that will have a positive impact on the restaurant industry in New York State," started one media post by the New York State Restaurant Association on January 27. A post a few hours later, another social media post read as follows.

Enjoy Live Music While Dining

Restaurants are allowed to provide "incidental music" with live musicians for their customers. While many restaurants did that in the fall, this windfall ended with the closure of indoor dining. The number of restaurants that continue to provide live music has dwindled drastically, and the increasingly hard weather may reduce those numbers further. Depending on the content of Cuomo's proposal on Friday, restaurant owners may be open to re-booking live music again.

Zoran Panjak performed indoors for customers outdoors at Marshall Stack on January 27