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Restaurants in New York City can reopen indoor dining at 25% capacity, starting Valentine’s Day

If COVID-19 positivity rates hold steady, the limited indoor dining plan can move forward on Feb. 14, Gov. Cuomo said

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

January 29, 2021

1 Min Read
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New York City restaurants rejoice: if all goes well, indoor dining will be reopening at 25% capacity on Feb. 14.Noam Galai / Contributor / Getty Images Entertainment

New York City restaurants rejoice: if all goes well, indoor dining will be reopening at 25% capacity on Feb. 14. Restaurants will be able to rejoin other restaurants throughout New York State on Valentine’s Day after two months of hiatus, following surging COVID-19 rates in December.

“The restaurants want that period of time so they can notify workers, so they can get up to speed on dining, order supplies etc.,” Cuomo said during Friday’s press conference, adding that the trajectory can change if positivity or hospitalization rates suddenly surge.

Restaurants will have to follow the same rules as when indoor dining originally opened in New York City in September, including capacity restrictions, table distancing of six feet or more, mandatory temperature checks, contact tracing no bar service, and filtration upgrades.

The New York City hospitality industry had also been asking for the current business curfew to be pushed back from 10 p.m. to midnight, and Cuomo did not honor that request, citing concerns over late-night crowding at bars and trendier restaurants.

As of December 2020, more than 110,000 restaurants have closed nationwide, or just about 17% of the total dining establishments in the country, according to data from the National Restaurant Association.

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi

Learn more about how New York City plans to reopen indoor dining at 25% capacity on Valentine’s Day here. 

 

 

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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