New rules in New York City will limit pandemic-era outdoor restaurant seating

The pandemic brought significant changes to the daily lives of many Americans. While many of them were seen as negative, some of them made life a little easier.

One of those beneficial changes was the introduction of outdoor seating areas at New York restaurants. In order to keep those businesses afloat in 2020, restaurants were allowed to place seating vestibules on the streets and sidewalks.

Years later, those seating areas still exist, providing extra room for smaller New York establishments. But that resource may soon come to an end.

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During those pandemic times, the restaurants didn’t need permits to operate outdoor seating. Now, however, the businesses have had to apply for permits to continue that service.

The application deadline passed on Aug. 3. Only 3,226 restaurants applied, which is less than half of the number already using the outdoor seating structures. Nation’s Restaurant News reported the city estimates 12,000 restaurants currently have outdoor seating.

The program is called Dining Out NYC . Restaurants that are approved have 30 days to make sure their outdoor seating structures meet the guidelines.

Those who have not applied or been accepted to the program will have to remove their outdoor seating. They will be fined $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for any other offenses.

The licenses are valid for four years. There is a fee to operate the outdoor structures, which varies by location and cafe size. The Dining Out NYC website says the rates are lower than the pre-pandemic Sidewalk Cafe program.

There are two types of outdoor seating. Roadway Cafes are on the street, and they will only be allowed from April through November. Sidewalk Cafes are meant to look more like traditional sidewalk seating, and they are allowed year round.

Just over 1,300 of the new permit applications are for Roadway Cafes, while about 2,000 are for Sidewalk Cafes, according to Bloomberg.

The new guidelines also say there will be no more fully enclosed structures. The Roadway Cafes must be able to be dismantled.

Bloomberg reported there’s been a debate among New Yorkers about the outdoor seating structures. Some say they help maintain a vibrant dining culture in the city, while others say they attract rats and take up parking spaces.