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City officials announced plans concerning the future of outdoor dining setups across the city back in February and, this weekend, things will start to look different.
New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez reminded all parties involved that the deadline to apply for the new Dining Out NYC program, which will allow applicants to continue offering outdoor dining albeit in a different manner, is this Saturday, August 3.
Those who choose not to apply will have to remove their current outdoor setups. Failure to comply to the rules will result in a $500 fine for the first offense and a $1,000 penalty for each subsequent one until the shed is removed. But let’s get things straight: outdoor dining is not going anywhere, it’s just about to look slightly different—more uniform and regulated.
"Outdoor dining enriches our communities, and we're excited to make it a permanent feature of New York City streets," Rodriguez said in an official statement. "Our new outdoor dining program is the largest and best in America, and I encourage all interested restaurants to apply."
Basically, the city is trying to universalize the way these outdoor sheds look, following a free-for-all-like period during the pandemic when each restaurant got to set up its own version of open-air seating arrangement.
"The program preserves what New Yorkers have come to enjoy about outdoor dining while addressing important quality of life issues that will make outdoor dining more accessible, safe, and inviting," reads an official press release.
The new program includes two options, which eateries can sign up for separately or in conjunction. Roadway dining—those sheds in the middle of the street that have become part and parcel of the city’s urban layout—will be a seasonal endeavor between April 1 and November 29 yearly. Sidewalk cafes, on the other hand, will be permitted all year round.
There are a lot of guidelines governing each option, and this official website breaks it all down for restaurant owners in particular.
Last year, NYC unveiled four new approved designs, showcasing them to both media and industry folk in preparation for this weekend's official "turnover." Let's see how many of our favorite restaurants will start looking slightly different.