In lead-up to Super Bowl Sunday, New Jersey Gov. Murphy eases restrictions on indoor dining
(The Center Square) – New Jersey restaurants will receive a slight reprieve on dining restrictions in time for Super Bowl Sunday.
Indoor capacity limits at New Jersey restaurants will increase from 25% to 35% starting Friday, Gov. Phil Murphy announced, but some in the Garden State said the increase doesn’t go far enough. Capacity is limited to no more than 150 people.
The change applies to indoor performance venues, weddings, funerals and political gatherings in addition to restaurants. The governor is also lifting the statewide 10 p.m. curfew on indoor restaurant service, but some local restrictions may remain in place.
“We are able to take steps forward today because of the millions of you who have taken responsibility for ending this pandemic to heart – through constant social distancing, wearing your face masks, and exercising common sense,” Murphy said on Twitter.
“The prohibition on seating at indoor bar areas will remain in effect, as it creates the danger of close and prolonged proximity between patrons, bartenders, and servers,” the governor added.
State Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, has been pushing the governor to loosen restaurants’ restrictions, saying they were irreparably harming the industry. The lawmaker commended the change but said data shows the capacity could be increased to 50% without any negative impact.
“Every surrounding state is at 50% at least,” O’Scanlon said in a statement. “We’ve been behind our neighbors in lifting these draconian regulations for months. And the delay hasn’t shown any indication that we are doing any better with our rate of transmission; we are simply still economically killing our restaurant and hospitality industry.
“It’s outrageous that after all this time with contact tracing showing restaurants are not the nexus for new cases, that the administration will only give them a 10% capacity increase,” O’Scanlon added. “… Today is a small victory, but unfortunately not one that’s large enough to make a real difference to save the industry.”
Eileen Kean, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), similarly praised the news but said more is needed.
“It is very good to hear that restaurants and bars will be able to allow people to stay till normal closing times this weekend, especially when it means on Super Bowl Sunday patrons won’t have to leave half-way through the game and watch the rest at home,” Kean said in a statement. “It has been a long time difficult road for all these hard-hit small businesses and this is a bit of good news for a change.
“An increase of just 10% in customer capacity at a salon or barbershop may mean the owner can use one more chair,” Kean added. “In a restaurant, maybe they can seat people at one or two more tables. But, these small business owners still can’t be profitable enough to get past the current economic hardship, so we encourage the Governor to increase that limit as soon as possible.”
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