50% eating inside gets city, N.J. OK
ALBANY — New York City eateries will soon be allowed to increase indoor dining capacity to 50%, Gov. Cuomo announced Wednesday.
The business bump, up from the current 35% limit, goes into effect on March 19 and coincides with a similar plan for New Jersey restaurants.
Cuomo and Garden State Gov. Phil Murphy issued a joint statement touting a decline in infection and hospitalization rates in both states.
“We will continue to follow the science and react accordingly,” Cuomo said. “If we keep the infections down and vaccinations up, we will continue to stay ahead in the footrace against this invisible enemy and reach the light at the end of the tunnel together.”
Restaurant groups and owners in the city have long called on Cuomo to allow more diners inside as COVID infection rates fell following a postholiday surge.
The governor already announced over the weekend, as he signed legislation limiting his pandemic emergency powers, that establishments outside the five boroughs can go to 75% capacity on March 19.
Meanwhile, Republicans are taking aim at one of the governor’s more controversial restaurant-related COVID executive orders.
Senate Republicans announced a resolution to rescind Cuomo’s mandate prohibiting bars and restaurants from serving alcoholic beverages to patrons who do not order food.
The governor’s booze-and-food edict caused mass confusion last summer and prompted some savvy tavern keepers to start serving “Cuomo chips” along with pints in order to work around the rule.
The State Liquor Authority quickly clarified that while chips and pretzels counted as food at breweries or wineries, patrons at bars or restaurants had to order more substantial snacks if they wanted to enjoy an adult beverage.
“While we all recognized the need to make adjustments to help contain the spread of the virus in the midst of the pandemic, this order was completely arbitrary, with absolutely no scientific data to back it up,” argued Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt (R-Niagara County).
Republicans point out that Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Queens) used the food rule as an example of how lawmakers could repeal some of the governor’s pandemic actions.