Mayor de Blasio today announced the City’s popular Open Restaurants program, which allows restaurants to serve diners in sidewalks and curb lanes, will return next summer. Over 9,000 restaurants have signed up for the program, which has helped save nearly 80,000 New York City jobs since June.
Outdoor dining will return to the city by June 1, 2021, and run through October 31st. The City will also bring back a popular initiative that combines Open Restaurants with Open Streets. On weekends, restaurants on participating corridors will go farther away from the curb than other Open Restaurants participants, and the rest of the streets will be open to pedestrian traffic.
“It’s time to start a new New York City tradition,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “New Yorkers deserve the chance to enjoy their meals outside next summer, and restaurants deserve the chance to continue building their businesses back. I’m proud to expand such a popular program, and I look forward to participating myself next year.”
“Open Restaurants has been an overwhelming success, providing a small sense of normalcy for New Yorkers who have endured so much this year, but also providing thousands of jobs across the City and helping restaurants stay in business,” said Deputy Mayor Laura Anglin. “Bringing this program back next year makes perfect sense and allows restaurants more time to plan and continue to find creative ways to serve New Yorkers.”
“In just two months, Open Restaurants has helped re-imagine our public spaces — bringing New Yorkers together to safely enjoy outdoor dining and helping to rescue a critical industry at the same time,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “We are thrilled that the Mayor has announced that this hugely successful team effort will return next year. We look forward to further collaboration with our partner agencies, community groups and restaurateurs who have already worked so hard to put this vision into place.”
“We are thrilled to see the expansion of the Open Restaurant Program,” said Jonnel Doris, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “This has been a tremendous benefit to the restaurant industry during these trying months and the continuation of the program to next summer will allow for increased participation in the future.”
The hours of operation for Open Restaurants are Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM, and Sunday 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM. A searchable citywide map of existing Open Restaurants can be found here. For more information on the program, including regulations, guidelines, and the application, click here.
“As the author of the outdoor dining bill, I have always believed that this program should become a permanent part of our City’s streetscape” said Council Member Antonio Reynoso. “Outdoor dining provides a financial lifeline to our struggling restaurant industry, while reimagining our streets to create more space for people to enjoy the outdoors. I’m excited the administration is extending the program and I look forward to exploring further opportunities to make our streets work better for all users.”
“Our local restaurants and bars have always been a big part of what makes New York New York. The restaurant industry is an essential partner in helping the hardest-hit communities rebuild and I applaud the Administration for their continued efforts to bolster these businesses and address their needs. I look forward to working with the Administration, community partners, and business owners to help our restaurants keep their doors open to continuing serving our communities,” said Council Member Andrew Cohen.
“Extending outdoor dining through 2021 is welcome news for bars and restaurants. It’s also a victory for New Yorkers in how we can repurpose our streets for a larger good. I am glad these establishments will have more hope for survival with this program, as I have advocated. Thank you to the Mayor for some good news for our small businesses,” said Council Member Keith Powers.
“The Open Restaurants program has been incredibly successful in the midst of a crisis. Continuing this outdoor dining program in 2021 is not only important for small businesses, jobs and tax revenue, but it also makes NYC a more beautiful and livable city,” said Andrew Rigie, Executive Director, and Robert Bookman, Counsel of the NYC Hospitality Alliance.
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