‘Their hands would go purple’: New York restaurants brace for second pandemic winter

From hot drinks to charming streetside cottages, restaurateurs are hoping to entice diners to Covid-safe winter dining

Before the pandemic, restaurants with outdoor seating were the exception in New York City. Sidewalk permits were prohibitively expensive, harsh winters were impractical, and muggy summers uncomfortable. But the social distancing rules that closed restaurant dining rooms across the country last year to curb the spread of Covid-19 had a devastating impact on the US restaurant and food service industry, which reported $120bn in lost revenue in the first three months of the pandemic alone (the running total is now $280bn).

Outdoor dining emerged as a vital lifeline. To salvage the industry, the New York City government attempted to make it easier for restaurants to seat diners safely outdoors. Mayor Bill de Blasio launched the Open Restaurants initiative in June 2020, which legally permitted roadside dining and simplified the application process. Since then, more than 12,000 restaurants in New York City have been certified for outdoor dining.

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Coronavirus | The Guardian

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