NYC Outdoor Dining Could Get a Re-Do

New York City’s beleaguered outdoor dining program could expand to year-round operations as part of an effort to make it economically feasible for business owners.

As Kevin Duggan explains in Streetsblog NYC, the seasonal program “decimated” the city’s streeteries. After the new rules were implemented, participation in the outdoor dining program dropped from around 6,000 to 8,000 participating businesses to less than 3,000 applications. Today, “Only 77 outdoor dining setups have made their way through the full new application process, but DOT gave 726 roadway cafés a conditional approval to set up if they cleared a public hearing phase.” Restaurants also face months-long delays in getting permits for alcohol service. 

Multiple city council members said while they previously voted in support of the 2023 law that created the seasonal program, they now support year-round outdoor dining. According to Council Member Lincoln Restler (D-Brooklyn), “We need an outdoor dining program that is year-round, that is accessible and convenient for businesses to be able to participate in, and we’re going to do our best to introduce legislation in the very near future and get that over the finish line.”