New Restrictions For Restaurants And Bars, As New York State Prepares For Second Wave

All restaurants, bars, and gyms in New York will have to shut down at 10 p.m. nightly. Restaurants can still offer takeout and delivery without alcohol after 10 p.m. The new restrictions come as New York faces a second wave of COVID-19.

“Any establishment with a state liquor license, including bars and restaurants, must close for in-person dining at 10 p.m., starting on Friday night,” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said to NBC.

Governor Cuomo is attributing the virus’s spread to indoor gatherings, gyms, and places where alcohol is served. In a statement on the Governor’s website, Governor Cuomo announced that private residences would be limited to no more than 10 people.

“The reason we have been so successful in reducing the spread in New York is we have been a step ahead of COVID. You know where it’s going; stop it before it gets there. And you know where it’s going by following the science. This is the calibration that we’ve talked about: increase economic activity, watch the positivity rate – if the positivity rate starts to go up, back off on the economic activity. It was never binary — economic activity or public health — it was always both,” Governor Cuomo said in a statement posted on the Governor’s website.

Some restaurants may not survive with the new restrictions. According to the National Restaurant Association, 1 in 6 restaurants and foodservice outlets in the U.S. have closed since the pandemic began.

“Today is a huge blow to the restaurant industry that is desperately trying to stay afloat,” New York State Restaurant Association president and CEO Melissa Fleischut said in a statement to NBC.” Our members have put in place procedures and protocols to mitigate the spread, and we’ll continue to do so to ensure the safety of our employees and patrons.”

Everyone is taking a blow with the new restrictions. As Thanksgiving approaches, many will have to sacrifice the time they spend with their families during the holidays.

“If I was in New York, I’d be disappointed. I wouldn’t follow the restrictions,” said Bruno Soubirous, a former New York City resident.