Indoor Dining Returns To NYC: Here’s What You Need To Know

NEW YORK CITY — The long-stewing return to indoor dining in New York City begins Wednesday and time will tell whether it’s a tasty dish or gone bad amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Reopening dining rooms wasn’t originally to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s taste, but he struck a reassuring tone on Tuesday. Spikes in COVID-19 cases across nine Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods won’t 86 the citywide reopening, he said.

“Bottom line, indoor dining will go forward tomorrow,” he said. “We’re going to watch carefully and report publicly. And if anything looks more problematic, we’ll talk to the state and we’ll decide together whether any adjustments have to be made.”

The reopening comes after restaurateurs nearly boiled over with frustrations — and warned of eateries permanently shuttering en masse — as COVID-19 shutdowns stretched on for months after state-ordered closures in March.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave them the sweet words they longed to hear: indoor dining will resume in New York City.

But the reopening comes with some not-quite-dietary restrictions.

Here’s what New York diners need to know:

Can I crowd into my favorite joint with all of my friends?

That depends — restaurants and bars can only operate at 25 percent capacity.

So you’re free to sit and nosh if your dining party, and all the other diners, fall below that threshold. Otherwise, there’s always takeout or the city’s now-permanent outdoor dining program.

We got in! What now?

Congratulations. That means your party not only passed the required at-the-door temperature checks, you have lots of extra space thanks to the also-mandatory 6-foot separations between tables.

And don’t take your mask off until you sit down. State regulations require all diners to be masked everywhere in the restaurant besides their tables.

Finally, you or someone else at your table must fill out a contact form so health officials can get in touch if a COVID-19 case is linked to the restaurant or a diner.

I’m not hungry. Can I just get drinks?

No.

Bar service is still restricted. You might see staff behind the bar, but they’re only being used to make drinks to serve at tables.

It seems pretty breezy in here. What’s the deal?

Assuming the doors aren’t open or you’re not in an enclosed outdoor space — which falls under indoor dining regulations — it’s probably the restaurant’s ventilation system operating on strict air filtration and purification standards. Those will help keep the virus from spreading, or at least that’s the hope.

I’m stuffed. Can I just sit here a while?

That will probably irk restaurant owners who are pushing — through lawsuits and other means — for at least 50 percent capacity limits they say will give the proper flow of customers to keep them afloat.

But besides that, restaurants must close by midnight under the state guidelines. So, it’s probably best you sleep off your food coma outside the restaurant.

This place isn’t following any of the rules. What do I do?

If you’re not scared of what happens to snitches, do as Cuomo recommends anonymously report violations by calling 833-208-4160 or texting "VIOLATION" to 855-904-5036.

What happens next?

Restaurants can expand to 50 percent capacity starting Nov. 1, provided the city’s coronavirus positivity rate stays below 2 percent.

The city’s current rate is 1.38 percent over the past seven days.

Cuomo and de Blasio both pledged to keep a close eye on COVID-19 numbers in the city as restaurants reopen and public school students return to classrooms.

The city isn’t at the point of rolling back indoor dining, despite isolated spikes in coronavirus cases, Cuomo said Tuesday.

He then peppered his comments with some criticism pointed at de Blasio and city officials.

"We’re not there yet on closing,” Cuomo said. “This could be held to clusters if the local governments respond, and respond in a way they haven’t done up until now.”