Should NY Let Restaurants Stay Open After 10 P.M.? [POLL]

NEW YORK — As the coronavirus pandemic infections started increasing in November — after months of easing up — Gov. Andrew Cuomo instituted a 10 p.m. curfew for bars and restaurants across the state.

At the time, he said contract tracers identified eating and drinking establishments, gyms and indoor gathering places as helping to drive the virus's growth.

The news compounded restrictions based on micro-clusters of rising coronavirus infections that further affected restaurants in designated yellow, orange and red zones, which limited the number of people at tables and determined whether or not they could dine indoors.

On Wednesday, Cuomo lifted all but a few of the coronavirus zones across the state, leaving restrictions in place for Washington Heights, parts of Queens and the Bronx and Newburgh.

At his Friday news conference, the governor said, if New York City's downward trajectory of virus infections continues, indoor dining could reopen on Valentine's Day at 25 percent capacity.

Restaurants outside NYC are allowed to have 50 percent capacity, with a maximum of 10 people per table.

The 10 p.m. curfew, however, remains for everyone.

That is a sore spot for restaurant owners, especially with the upcoming Super Bowl, where patrons will likely have to leave before the game is over.

In a statement, Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, thanked Cuomo for easing the restrictions but said more was needed to help restaurants recover, News 10 reported.

"We appeal once again to the Governor to consider extending the curfew to midnight so that our restaurants are able to have that last turn of diners," she said, "which is of vital economic importance to so many of the state's restaurants."

Cuomo said on Wednesday he would not lift the curfew at that time, but didn't rule it out in the future.

Now it's your turn to weigh in on the issue. Vote in our unscientific poll and tell us what you think in the comments.