February 18, 2021
Governor Cuomo signed legislation that restaurants were allowed to have diners inside their establishments. As of February 12, 2021, New York allowed indoor dining again at 25% capacity; but that number is rising to 35% on February 26th. As part of this announcement, closing times were extended for bars, restaurants, and other State Liquor Authority-licensed establishments, from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. statewide. Restaurants are still allowed to provide curbside, food-only pick-up or delivery after 11 p.m. so long as otherwise permitted, but cannot serve alcohol to go.
Now that indoor dining is officially back, we wanted to share some of Dr. Jay Varma’s guidance for diners excited to be back indoors.
Before You Go Out
- Keep the size of your group small (4 or fewer people) and consider limiting to only those in your family, pod, or bubble
- Confirm that everyone in your group has no COVID-like symptoms and hasn’t recently been exposed to anyone with COVID-19
- Encourage everyone in your group to get tested (visit nyc.gov/covidtest to find a point-of-care testing site)
At the Restaurant
- Make sure it’s observing NYC and State requirements for health and safety, including:
- Not too crowded. Current capacity is limited to 25%
- Employees are wearing face coverings correctly and consistently
- Tables are spaced at least 6 feet apart or separated by a physical barrier at least 5 ft. in height
- No “self-serve” buffet
- Wear your face covering except when you’re actively eating and drinking. Wear your face covering when staff approaches your table
- Wash your hands before you eat and after you use the bathroom
- Maintain distance from other patrons as much as possible, e.g. stay at your table
After You Dine
- Keep a record of where you went, when you went, and who you went with. If you later test positive, you can report this to your contact tracer
- Get COVID-19 tested at least once per month, even if you don’t have symptoms
