Indoor dining in New York City will temporarily close beginning Monday, December 14. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made the announcement at a press conference last Friday. Outdoor dining and takeout will continue and city officials say they’ll adjust indoor dining regulations the moment that conditions in the city improve.
City officials also announced new outdoor dining regulations in New York City. The Dept. of Sanitation will have two advisories this winter season. A “Winter Operation Advisory” will happen when some snow, ice, or winter weather is in the forecast. Meanwhile, a “Snow Alert” will be issued when an inch or more of snow or ice is in the forecast, reports Gothamist. When a Snow Alert is issued, restaurants must close outdoor dining. (A snow alert could be issued for this Wednesday’s potential snow storm).
Meanwhile, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy says that indoor dining in the Garden State will continue at 25% max capacity. As part of NJ’s current regulations, bars and restaurants must also close indoor dining by 10pm.
“We’re staying with what we got,” said Murphy at Friday’s press conference. “New York is one of those states…where there’s one big metropolis that is an anchor in that state. That we don’t have. We’re on top of each other, but our largest one is only 300,000 people in a state of 9 million. It’s a very different dynamic.” However, Murphy warned that he’d reconsider if the state’s hospitals reach capacity.
