Indoor dining set to resume in New York City – at 25 percent capacity
(The Center Square) – Indoor dining resumes in New York City on Friday, with restaurants reopening to 25 percent capacity. However, some officials believe the establishments should be able to go beyond that amount.
State Sen. Joseph Addabbo, D-Queens, told The Center Square on Thursday that he didn’t believe that number was good enough, especially since that figure also must take into consideration wait staff and other workers.
“I have spoken to many restaurant owners in my district, and they’re all aware of this, and they’re all taking precautions with their workers,” Addabbo said. “So, I haven’t seen why we can’t go higher than 25 percent.”
Elsewhere in the state, including in New York City neighbors Westchester and Nassau, restaurants can operate at 50 percent capacity, and they’ve been open for months.
“You know, I go to a restaurant in Nassau County, and I feel safe,” Addabbo said. “There’s partitions, there’s masks, there’s gloves, and I feel safe. I’m able to eat indoors just over the border from Queens in Nassau.”
Before Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the reopening of indoor dining, the New York City Hospitality Alliance said it was considering legal action, especially since other parts of the state had higher positivity rates and hospitalization rates than the Big Apple.
Addabbo isn’t the only elected lawmaker calling for more. Last week, 19 New York City Council members wrote to the governor asking him to reconsider raising the capacity and to also consider extending the curfew to midnight instead of 10 p.m.
“While we understand that we still have a long road ahead for the recovery of the city and state and that the health and well-being of our constituents is of the utmost importance, we must balance those needs with the needs of saving a struggling economy,” the letter said. “We believe those two things can be done in conjunction with one another to ensure that the city’s recovery happens in a more equitable way.”
When the reopening guidelines were rolled out, Cuomo stated New York City had a different standard than other parts of the state because of the city’s population density.
Two weeks ago, he said he understood that restaurant owners will want more but there still needs to be a balance to protect people.
“Look, 25 percent is better than zero, and that’s where we are now,” he said. “If the numbers continue to get better, that number will go up. If hell develops, and the sky falls and a new variant explodes on to the scene, then we’ll have the opposite problem statewide.”
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