New Indoor Dining Regulations in Manhattan: What You Need to Know Trent Warner March 11, 2021 Featured, NYC Happenings Keywords to optimize the article for: New indoor dining regulations in Manhattan There’s nothing like New York dining. More than 23,500 restaurants were in New York City during 2019. They provided a wide range of experiences, covering all world cuisines. Then the pandemic came. Restaurants were closed, then allowed to reopen at a limited capacity. One year later, many establishments are struggling to keep their doors open. This is where new indoor dining regulations in Manhattan come in. The governor has announced new measures to help restaurants recover. Yet there’s been some confusion between rules for the city and rules for the state. Get a handle on both before you book a reservation by reading about everything you need to know below. Indoor Dining Rules for New York State Restaurants in New York State are currently capped at 50 percent capacity. Starting on March 19, they can expand to 75 percent. This capacity is prone to changes if cases spike. Restaurants must still follow social distancing and mask-wearing rules. Tables should be spread at least six feet apart from each other. People from different parties should not sit together. Everyone should wear a mask while they are not eating. When a staff member approaches them, they must have a mask on to receive service. Restaurant workers should wear masks at all times. They should avoid customers who have their masks off. They should wear gloves and sanitize their hands whenever possible. Diners should document where and when they went and who they went with. In case they test positive for COVID-19, this information will help with contact tracing. Diners should also report violations of social distancing and mask-wearing to the state. COVID Dining Regulations for Manhattan Manhattan restaurants currently operate at 35 percent capacity. On March 10, Governor Cuomo announced that New York City restaurants can expand to 50 percent starting March 15. Restaurants can close as late as 11 p.m. Plans to expand to 75 percent are not in the works. New York City remains the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, so cases need to drop significantly. Restaurants should follow the city’s restaurant reopening guide. They should separate seating areas by at least six feet. If that is not possible, physical barriers should go up between tables. No more than 10 people may be seated at one table. Individuals can be from different households, but they must all arrive as one party. Restaurants can prepare outdoor dining in addition to indoor options. Social distancing and mask-wearing rules apply to outdoor dinners as well. A restaurant is not required to expand to 75 percent. They should see if their location is in a micro-cluster and adjust their reopening strategy accordingly. If they are in a hotspot like Washington Heights, they should consider keeping their capacity down. The New Indoor Dining Regulations in Manhattan New indoor dining regulations in Manhattan and New York State are helping the restaurant industry recover. Restaurants outside the five boroughs can operate at 75 percent capacity. All people must wear masks when not eating. Within Manhattan, restaurants can operate at 50 percent capacity on March 15. Restaurants can prepare outdoor and indoor options, but everyone must be socially distanced. Establishments in hotspots should follow the news carefully. Get the facts you need so you can eat safely. Eat Up New York provides the best New York dining guides. Read our guide to eating healthy while going out.
