New York City Outdoor Dining Receives a Permanent Reservation

by M.C. Millman

With the signing of Intro 31-C into law, Mayor Eric Adams made it official - outdoor dining is here to stay for New York City.

The City's transportation department will oversee the program that has now become a law, as reported by BoroPark24 here. The department will issue permits to roadway cafes from April to November and sidewalk seating year-round. Permits will be issued every four years. 

The permit fee might put a crimp in the number of outdoor dining spots across all five boroughs, which according to a report by the Department of Transportation, number more than 12,000. Permit pricing is $25 per square foot for roadway cafes and $31 per square foot for sidewalk seating.

And while Adams claims that by signing the bill into law, he has preserved 100,000 jobs, conveniently leaving out any mention of how much the City will be raking in from this new source of revenue, he has also preserved the free for all food festival enjoyed by the City's ongoing rat population who thrive from the increased garbage source. There are other negatives as well, including noise pollution, less curb space, less sidewalk space, and even less parking.

Restaurants are being given until November 2024 to transition toward meeting the new laws.