As GOP lawmakers plan to help NYC restaurants, Gov. Cuomo hints at indoor dining update
Gov. Cuomo hinted at an update on the future of indoor dining: 'by the end of the week, we'll have a plan on New York City restaurants'
A plan may soon be in place for struggling New York City restaurants.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday hinted at an update on the future of indoor dining at the end of the week during an Albany press briefing days after he said he was "not contemplating" it.
Cuomo said his administration would be talking to health officials, elected officials, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the restaurant community and said by the end of the week, "we'll have a plan on New York City restaurants."
Customers dine outdoors during a snowstorm amid the coronavirus pandemic in New York City. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
The news comes as Republican lawmaker’s revealed efforts to aid restaurant owners during New York City’s first take-out only Restaurant Week by proposing to ban delivery apps from charging high fees paid by the restaurant owners, extending liquor licenses for a year and lifting state taxes temporarily on food and beverages sold at bars and restaurants, and give owners an extra 90-days to pay off state-issued fees, the New York Post reported.
NEW YORK RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION DEMANDS REOPENING FOR INDOOR DINING IN NYC
The New York State Restaurant Association called on Cuomo earlier this week to reinstate indoor dining and extend a 10 p.m. curfew (to 12 a.m.) for restaurants in New York City after cities such as Chicago, DC and Philadelphia eased restrictions last week, resuming at 25% capacity. And California this week also lifted its stay-at-home order and also let outdoor dining resume.
Industry representatives were hoping to hear that Cuomo is working on putting a plan in place.
“We’re happy that Governor Cuomo heard the voice of New York City’s decimated restaurant industry and we look forward to working towards a plan that hopefully reopens indoor dining soon,” Andrew Rigie, executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance said in a statement.
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“Highly regulated, limited occupancy indoor dining has been a minor factor for virus transmission and full shutdowns have exacerbated the current economic crisis, which has permanently shuttered thousands of restaurants and bars and put over 140,000 people out of work in our city.”