How Will Dining Restrictions Impact Teaneck Restaurants?

TEANECK, NJ — Like many New Jersey communities, Teaneck is making adjustments to everyday life as a surge of coronavirus cases hits the state.

Some business owners will also be tasked with adapting further, after, earlier this week, Gov. Phil Murphy clarified new regulations for bars, restaurants and other businesses in an attempt to tamp down the spread of the virus.

Deputy Mayor Elie Y. Katz, who is also the owner of Chopstix Kosher Chinese on West Englewood Avenue, said the regulations were relatively sparing, but added that any extra rules do add to "the actual suffering of these merchants."

"It wasn’t as harsh as many of us were expecting, which is a positive," said Katz. "But for right now, every single food business, every single restaurant is struggling … so any type of restrictions, in addition to what’s already existing, is challenging."

Teaneck as a community has reacted quickly to the surge in cases, which has resulted in 37 hospitalizations of patients at Holy Name Medical Center, including two patients on ventilators.

On Monday, the township announced that municipal buildings will be closed to the public. Public schools Superintendent Christopher Irving announced in-person learning, slated to resume Monday, was postponed in a Thursday letter.

Katz understands one thing about regulations intended to quell the spread of the coronavirus: that, regardless of intention, no one knows if anything is going to work.

"One thing I’ve recognized during this pandemic is that no one really even knows. That’s the one thing that’s constant: we know that we don’t know," he said.

For business owners already struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic — which is quickly closing in on its one-year mark — Katz believes it will simply come down to adapting to new challenges. But even then, like he said, who knows.

"Restaurants that have pivoted are surviving," said Katz. "It doesn’t mean that they’re thriving, but they’re surviving."

In pivoting, restaurants in Teaneck and across the county have deployed a few new strategies. They've expanded take-out options, created makeshift patios for outdoor dining and become at least competent delivery operations.

But the ability to pivot comes with a bit of luck. When Shalom Yehudiel spoke with Patch in September, he also posited that, for many restaurants, it's adaptability or death. He also noted that adaptability requires a bit of luck in many instances.

"You have to have the right kind of menu, the right kind of concept, in order to adapt to a primarily to-go and pick-up system," Yehudiel said then.

So what then, will restaurants add to the challenges they're juggling?

"The weather has the challenges, now the state law is going to have a challenge," said Katz. "In the meantime, with all these moving pieces, restaurants and food businesses have to figure out how to pay their employees and pay the vendors and put out a nice product."

To throw an additional wrinkle into these concerns, for the many businesses in a rush to buy tents for outdoor dining, they will have to make sure they are snow load certified by Dec. 1, per New Jersey law.

Teaneck officials will help where they can, Katz said, adding that Township Manager Dean Kazinci has "worked aggressively to make sure that main street Teaneck, all four business districts, didn’t suffer and didn’t look like a ghost town."

The people in charge locally will give business owners the space to pivot, but outside factors will only allow them to go so far.

New regulations for restaurants, bars, clubs, lounges and casinos include:

• Businesses that serve food or drinks will not be able to operate their indoor premises between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
• Outdoor dining can continue after 10 p.m., as can takeout and delivery services.
• Casinos will not be able to serve food or drinks between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., except for room service delivered to guest rooms and takeout.
• Seating at the physical bar in the indoor areas of bars and restaurants will be prohibited during all operating hours.

READ MORE: Gov. Murphy Clarifies New Rules For NJ Indoor Dining, Barbers