In the spring of 2020 restaurants and other public venues–bars, schools, museums, office buildings–were ordered to close dining operations.
March 13-15: Union Square Hospitality Group Closes All Restaurants in Response to Coronavirus ; Momofuku, Blue Ribbon, Xi’an Famous Foods, Empellon, Daniel Boulud Restaurants Close In Response to Coronavirus ; Per Se, Jean-Georges Close, While Hudson Yards’s Mercado Little Spain Converts to Takeout-Only
March 16: Andrew Cuomo Tweets: “Effective 8PM TONIGHT: Restaurants/bars will be takeout/delivery ONLY”
March 20: Coronavirus in NYC: NYC Restaurant World’s Devastating Week in Photos
Some chefs continued to work even once their restaurants went on pause, donating meals to essential workers, especially those working in hospitals, as well as to emergency food relief, BLM protesters, out of work restaurant industry workers, and more.
March 30: Coronavirus Update: Chefs, NYC Restaurants Feeding Healthcare Workers On The Front Lines
April 2: Eleven Madison Park Reopens to Serve Citymeals on Wheels
April 2: Brooklyn Eatery Becomes a Food Bank for Hard-Hit Industry
April 2: NYC chef ‘Bakes it Forward’ for hospital staff on front lines of coronavirus pandemic
April 10: Friends in the food industry who are helping us rise to the challenges of COVID-19
April 16: How NYC Restaurants Are Helping Health Care Workers in the COVID-19 Fight
April 27: Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Celebrity Chefs Pivot From Gourmet Meals To Feeding The Hungry
April 29: Restaurants Have Pivoted to Feeding the Frontlines: Is It Delivering?
May 3: Eleven Madison Park chef to continue to feed needy New Yorkers Learn more about this initiative at: rethinkfood.nyc
June 10: The Coronavirus Put Them Out of Work. Now These Chefs Are Feeding New York’s Protesting Masses.
June 19: Cooks are nourishing protesters and a social movement by sending food to the front lines
June 23: NYC Chefs Working As Food Relief Workers – NYC Food Policy Center
September 1: 12 NYC Restaurants “Doing Good” During the COVID-19 Crisis
Food delivery workers spent tireless hours delivering meals. The following articles feature some of their individual experiences, as well as some of the wider trends and changes that affected food delivery workers more broadly
March 16: Uber Eats waives delivery fee for independent restaurants as virus spreads
March 18: Talking to NYC Food Delivery Workers About Coronavirus
May 12: NYC will impose 20-percent cap on restaurant delivery-app fees
May 26: NYC caps delivery fees
June 1: Cuomo and De Blasio Announce NYC Curfew Following Weekend of Protests
June 4: Here’s Why Food Delivery Drivers Worry for Their Safety, Despite Curfew Exemption
December 6: NYC Food Delivery Workers Band to Demand Better Treatment. Will New York Listen to Los Deliveristas Unidos?
Many restaurants had to get creative and adapt their business models to stay in business. These articles feature individual businesses during the pandemic, as well some of the models, such as selling groceries, meal kits, and expanding takeout options, that many restaurants adopted.
April 10: The Virus Closed Her Bakery. Now She’s Working Nonstop.
April 22: ‘Over All a Bit of Numbness Right Now’: One Cafe’s Fight for Virus Relief
April 24: How one New York City small business is impacted by the coronavirus
April 24: How Coronavirus Has Hurt This NYC Food Truck
May 14: NYC Groceries and Coronavirus: Restaurants Now Sell Produce and Other Goods
May 29: Cook-It-Yourself? Restaurants See Future for Meal Kits Postpandemic.
June 9: Queens restaurants and bars work to survive amid uncertain future following COVID-19
June 15: Missy Robbins Brings Back Pasta Kits and Gets Into Groceries
June 16: Photos of NYC Michelin-Starred Restaurant Food During Coronavirus
July 1: Coronavirus in NYC: Restaurants and Bars Selling Picnic Boxes
July 13: Black Business Owners Hang On Through Covid Crisis as Black Lives Matter Movement Surges
July 14: A New To-Go Window From an Uptown Fixture
September 1: 66-year-old East Village Ukrainian restaurant Veselka shares its COVID
January 4: How 2 NYC Restaurants Pivoted to Stay Open Despite Another Lockdown
Assistance from government financial relief, crowdfunding, COVID surcharges, and more, helped some restaurants and small businesses stay afloat.
April 9: Chef Tom Colicchio says coronavirus government relief package ‘doesn’t really work’ for restaurants
April 30: Coronavirus quarantines lead to new restaurant membership program
April 9: Activists Launch New Efforts to Save New York’s Chinatown
May 4: New York City Restaurants Seek Aid to Survive Coronavirus Outbreak
May 13: Council Passes Restaurant Relief Bills, Will Cap Delivery Fees ; New York City Council passes package of ‘urgently needed protections’ for restaurant industry
May 19: New website aims to empower New York City’s food scene amid the COVID-19 pandemic ; A New Site to Help Rescue New York Restaurants
July 14: NYC Mayor’s Fund Raises $54.5 Million for Essential, Restaurant Workers
October 16: NYC City Council Signs Off On COVID-19 Surcharge Bill; NYC restaurants to add 10% dining surcharge during pandemic; NYC Restaurants Can Start Charging Diners a COVID-19 Recovery Charge
December 21: Restaurant owners: Additional stimulus, Covid-19 relief isn’t enough
January 7: New York City eateries called to participate in ‘NYC Restaurant Week To Go’
February 4: Sources: Millions Of Dollars In Relief Coming For New York City Bars And Restaurants
Restaurant owners struggled financially, resulting in widespread concern and restaurant closures across the city.
May 15: 15 Famous Restaurants That Closed Permanently
June 5: When NYC Reopens, Some Restaurants and Shops Won’t Be
June 16: Swaths of New York City small businesses face extinction in the wake of coronavirus ; “We Are Bleeding Out”: Bar & Restaurant Owners Wonder How They’ll Ever Come Back From Coronavirus Shutdown
July 2: Almost One-Third of NYC Restaurants Missed June Rent, Survey Finds ; Survey finds that restaurants and bars are still struggling to pay rent as New York City reopens ; 80 percent of NYC eateries couldn’t afford rent amid coronavirus
July 24: Two Decades-Old NYC Restaurants Permanently Close
July 27: These Businesses Lasted Decades. The Virus Closed Them for Good.
August 3: One-Third of New York’s Small Businesses May Be Gone Forever
August 4: Indoor dining isn’t safe with Covid-19. Restaurants need a bailout.
August 3: 83% of New York City restaurant owners couldn’t pay full rent in July, report shows ; 80% of NYC restaurants and bars unable to pay more than half their rent: survey ; Most NYC Restaurants and Bars Couldn’t Pay Their July Rent ; Coronavirus Impact: Survey Of 500 New York City Restaurants Reveals 83% Could Not Pay Full Rent In July ; 83% of NYC restaurants and bars can’t pay their rents, survey finds
August 5: New York City restaurant owners call for action from the state to prevent closure ; NYC Restaurateurs Renew Calls for Rent Relief As End of Eviction Moratorium Looms
August 13: No One Knows How Many Restaurants Have Closed in New York City
August 13: 26 notable NYC restaurants and bars that have permanently closed
August 19: Final Meals at Closing Restaurants: ‘I Will Dream of Those Dumplings’
September 3: New York City Restaurant Closings, September 2020
September 3: 63% of New York restaurants could close over coronavirus losses: Report ;
Over half of NY restaurants face closure without COVID-19 bailout ; Nearly two-thirds of New York restaurants may have to close by January
September 8: NYC Restaurants That Have Permanently Closed During the Coronavirus Pandemic – New York
September 8: NYC restaurant owner on closure due to coronavirus restrictions: ‘No words to describe the heartbreak’
September 13: A restaurant-closing tsunami is on the way, New York restaurateurs warn
September 17: NYC Bars Permanently Closed Due to Covid-19 Pandemic
September 21: Almost 90 percent of NYC bars and restaurants couldn’t pay August rent ; Nearly 90 Percent Of NYC Restaurants & Bars Couldn’t Pay Full Rent In August ; Grim Statistic In Road To Reopening: 87% Of NYC Restaurants, Bars Couldn’t Pay Full Rent In August
September 23: 6 months after COVID-19 blitzed New York, weary restaurant owner still “barely staying afloat” ; Coronavirus News: New York City restaurants struggle to survive pandemic
September 25: How NYC’s oldest restaurants are battling through their second pandemic
September 28: NYC Restaurants That Have Permanently Closed During the Coronavirus Pandemic – New York
October 29: NYC Restaurants Face Closure Due to COVID-19
November 20: NYC restaurants fear financial devastation as new restrictions loom
Updated November 25: A Running List of NYC Restaurants That Have Permanently Closed
December 1: Even Before an Indoor Shutdown, Restaurants and Workers Are Suffering
December 19: Opinion | The Greatest Restaurant City in America Is Hurting More Than You Know
December 19: Young Chinese New Yorkers Rally Around Chinatown’s Businesses. That May Not Be Enough To Keep Them Open.
February 15: NYC Bars Permanently Closed Due to Covid-19 Pandemic
February 16: 92% of NYC restaurants could not afford December rent, survey reveals; 92 percent of NYC restaurants could not make December rent: survey
Street vendors faced unique struggles and continue to fight for their rights as small businesses
Check out The Street Vendor Project for more information on the struggle for protections, permits, and rights for street vendors.
March 11: Food cart operators struggling as coronavirus fears keep customers away
March 17: Street Vendor Community Needs in Response to COVID-19
March 24: Street Vendors Face Plummeting Business As NYC Streets Empty During Coronavirus
June 9: NYC Street Protests Have Been A Bright Spot For Struggling Street Vendors
June 12: New York Police Will Stop Enforcing Street-Vendor Laws, but Questions Linger
September 30: Out-of-Work Street Vendors Found Work Feeding Food Insecure New Yorkers
Summer 2020 saw the introduction and expansion of outdoor dining. Outdoor dining became a key feature during the summer months of the pandemic and is expected to continue as a permanent fixture for years to come.
May 20: NYC restaurants turning to high tech solutions to reopen
May 28: NYC Council unveils outdoor dining plan for struggling restaurants ; Coronavirus in NYC: City Council Introduces Urgent Outdoor Dining Legislation ; Reopen News: City Council pushes to expand outdoor dining in New York City
June 4: NYC’s Outdoor Dining Plan Includes Seats in Parking Spots, Closed Streets ; NYC could see outdoor dining by June 22 as Gov. Cuomo approves for Phase 2 ; NYC moves to open outdoor dining space for floundering restaurants ; City sets up plans to help restaurants establish outdoor seating during reopening process
June 5: New York City’s Reopening Plan Expands Outdoor Dining
June 23: Restaurant Dining Is Back, if You Can Find a Table
July 2: 22 Open Streets Will Become Outdoor Dining Spaces On Weekends
July 2: Photos: NYC’s restaurants get creative for street eating
July 9: Outdoor Dining Offers Fresh Air and Fantasy to a City That Needs Both
July 13: The Problems of Outdoor Dining for NYC Restaurants
July 31: NYC Announces 15 More Open Restaurant Locations For Outdoor Dining
August 4: New York City Considers Extending Outdoor Dining Into Colder Months
August 3: Outdoor Dining to Become a ‘New NYC Tradition’ and Return Next Summer, Mayor Says ; Mayor Makes Curbside Restaurant Seating Permanent ; NYC’s outdoor dining program will resume next year, COVID or not ; Coronavirus Updates: NYC Expanded Outdoor Dining Will Return Next Summer
August 18: Outdoor Dining Flourishes In New York City
September 10: NYC’s Modular Streeteries Look Great. What Will It Take for Them to Survive?
September 16: Mayor de Blasio Announces Open Streets: Restaurants Will Expand to Weekdays at 40 Locations Citywide
September 22: NYC restaurant installs ‘space bubbles’ for sidewalk dining ahead of colder months ; How Yurts and Heat Lamps Will Save New York’s Restaurants
September 25: NYC Open Streets, Open Restaurants to Become Permanent, Year-Round Initiatives ; Outdoor dining now permanent and year-round in New York City
October 7: News Clip: Local artists transform outdoor dining areas into works of art
October 15: Cold comfort: NYC outdoor dining to remain through at least 2021; City Council Votes to Make Outdoor Dining a Permanent Fixture in NYC
November 2: 9 Ways Outdoor Dining Will Change New York
December 2: These New York City Restaurants Have Perfected Winter Outdoor Dining
December 21: The Most Elaborate Outdoor Dining Setups In Pandemic-Era NYC
December 23: Checking In: Cafe Du Soleil On How Outdoor Dining Bubbles Helped Save Their Business
As temperatures cooled, outdoor dining faced a number of challenges. Unclear government guidelines around heating and outdoor structures lead to confusion and frustration from business owners, while diners and front of house restaurant workers continued to be concerned about exposure to coronavirus.
October 15: New York City issues rules for heating outdoor dining spaces
October 22: Restaurants brace themselves for outdoor dining in colder months ahead
October 23: Surviving the Winter: Helping NYC’s Small Businesses in the Months Ahead ; New report explores how shops and restaurants can survive and thrive during a COVID winter
October 30: How NYC Restaurants Plan to Stay Open During Winter During Pandemic
October 30: Outdoor dining bubbles aren’t as safe as you’d think, doctors say
November 9: The Setups for Outdoor Winter Dining Are Lavish. But Are They Safe?
November 25: What Happens If Outdoor Dining Pauses in New York?
December 12: City Issues New Guidelines For Outdoor Dining And Snow Removal ; NYC Issues Snow Day Guidelines for Outdoor Dining at Restaurants
December 12: Snow removal rules pose new problem for some NYC restaurants
December 15: NYC Declares “Snow Alert” & Suspends Outdoor Street Dining Starting Wednesday ; NYC to Suspend Outdoor Dining This Wednesday Due to the Snowstorm
December 17: You’re Not A Real New Yorker Until You’ve Dined Outdoors During A Snowstorm
December 18: Coronavirus Update New York City: Outdoor dining bathroom guidance sparks criticism, confusion ; You Are Once Again Allowed to Pee Indoors at NYC Restaurants ; Bathroom Use OK, Takeout Orders Curbside Only: NYC Lays Out Latest Dining Rules ; UPDATE: Cuomo Clarifies That “Of Course” Outdoor Diners Can Use Restaurant Bathrooms
December 24: NY State Says Open Windows In Outdoor Dining Structures Are Not Enough. Will The City Enforce It?
January 12: At New York Restaurants, It’s the Season of the Yurt
January 21: Different Blocks, Different Outdoor Dining Scenes, One Deep Economic Divide
February 24: 28 Great Places for Outdoor Dining in NYC
Debates concerning indoor dining began making news in August, pitting the financial needs of businesses against concerns over controlling the spread of coronavirus.
August 19: NYC Restaurants Plead For a Plan For Return of Indoor Dining ; NYC Restaurateurs Renew Calls for an Indoor Dining Plan, Say Lawsuit Is on the Table
August 23: Outdoor Dining Is a Hit, but Restaurants Face ‘Apocalyptic’ Times ; Enough! Time to seriously loosen lockdown rules for restaurants and others
August 24: Indoor dining may not return to NYC until next year; restaurant owners say they may not make it ; ‘Panic Is Setting In’: A Murky Future Lies Ahead for New York’s Restaurant Industry
August 31: De Blasio hints indoor dining won’t return in NYC until COVID-19 vaccine ; Reopen New York City: Indoor dining seems unlikely soon, Cuomo and de Blasio suggest ; Cuomo won’t budge on reopening NYC restaurants for indoor dining
August 31: Queens Restaurant Sues Cuomo Over NYC Indoor Dining Ban
September 1: Exasperated NYC Restaurant Owners Sue New York State For Right To Reopen
September 3: Cuomo: Indoor Dining ‘Should Open’ in NYC, Blames Mayor for Lacking Enforcement; Malls OK
September 3: Restaurant owners rally for indoor dining in NYC
September 3: New York City New York Andrew Cuomo Restaurants Cuomo stands firm on indoor-dining ban in New York City ; With Pressure Mounting, Cuomo Suggests Indoor Dining Could Return To NYC With More NYPD Enforcement ; Cuomo stands firm on NYC indoor dining ban despite lawsuit, opposition
September 8: Opinion: Bill de Blasio and Andrew Cuomo wish death on NYC restaurants
The cycle of restaurants being ordered to close, then allowed to reopen, continues through the fall and winter months. Balancing the financial needs of these businesses with the safety of workers and customers continued to be a struggle.
September 9: Governor Cuomo Announces Indoor Dining in New York City Allowed to Resume Beginning September 30 with 25 Percent Occupancy Limit ; NYC Restaurants To Resume Indoor Dining ; New York City To Resume Indoor Dining, With Restrictions, Later This Month ; NYC to Allow Indoor Dining ; NYC Indoor Dining to Resume Sept. 30 With Heavy Restrictions, Cuomo Says
September 9: ‘It’s a Really Tough Call’: NYC Restaurant Industry Reacts to Indoor Dining Return
September 11: Why Indoor Dining in NYC Terrifies Some Restaurant Workers
September 14: NYC restaurants ready for indoor dining, but with concerns – New York Daily News
September 15: Indoor dining rules a new intrusive part of coronavirus clampdown in NYC
September 22: NYC Restaurants Calling for Indoor Dining 50% Capacity
September 29: New York Dining Is Moving Indoors. How Nervous Should You Be? ; Coronavirus: Can New York reopen restaurants for indoor dining safely?
September 30: NYC Indoor Dining | New York Forward
October 1: I Ate Inside A NYC Restaurant. This Is My Story ; Indoor Dining Returns to NYC After 6 Months
October 4: NYC already reshutting restaurant dining rooms in high-infection areas ; New York to impose new shutdowns in coronavirus hot spots ; COVID-19: NYC mayor wants schools, restaurants closed in 9 ZIP codes
October 12: The Uncertain Promises of Indoor Dining in New York City
October 28: New York City Set to Expand Indoor Dining to 50 Percent ; Urgent push to boost NYC indoor dining to 50% before winter ; NYC restaurant owners warn there won’t be many left without indoor dining expansion
November 12: NYC Restaurants May Not Survive Another Indoor Dining Ban ; “Barely Holding On”: NYC Restaurants Brace For Indoor Dining Pause As Virus Infection Rate Keeps Climbing ; New York City Restaurants in Precarious State as Winter Nears ;
November 19: ‘It’s not if, it’s when’: de Blasio predicts imminent shutdown of NYC restaurants and gyms ; NYC Mayor Suggests Indoor Dining Will Likely Shut Down Soon
November 20: Why New York City Hasn’t Stopped Indoor Dining But Schools Are Closed
November 21: Some NYC restaurants voluntarily closing indoor, outdoor dining as COVID-19 spikes
November 24: Op-Ed | SmallBizSOS: A plea from NYC’s struggling restaurant industry
December 11: Indoor Dining Will Shut Down in New York City Again ; Restaurants Brace For A Brutal Winter As Indoor Dining Pauses In NYC Again ; Indoor dining ends in New York City as winter storm approaches ; New York Officially Bans Indoor Dining Follow COVID-19 Uptick https://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-indoor-dining-closing-restaurants-monday-covid-19-infections-surge-2020-12 ; Cuomo reinstates NYC indoor dining ban to limit coronavirus spread
December 28: A cruel winter: New York City restaurants struggle for survival amid second indoor dining ban ; NYC’s Outdoor Dining Guidelines Are Still Confusing Restaurant Owners
January 19: Lawsuit Claims New York’s COVID-19 Indoor Dining Restrictions Threaten Lives
January 26: NYC Indoor Dining Not ‘Safe’ For Reopening, De Blasio Says
January 28: NYC restaurant owner frustrated by COVID lockdown tells Cuomo ‘stop playing’ with people’s lives; NYC restaurant owners fuming over plan to resume indoor dining at 25%
January 29: Governor Cuomo Announces New York City Indoor Dining Can Reopen at 25 Percent Capacity on Valentine’s Day; Indoor Dining Will Resume in NYC on February 14 ; NYC get tentative go-ahead to re-open dining rooms starting Valentine’s Day
February 3: Pulmonologist says NYC indoor dining restrictions are ‘far too stringent,’ restaurants can reopen safely
February 8: Why experts say resuming indoor dining in NYC is a bad idea
February 12: Indoor Dining Returns To NYC: Here’s What You Need To Know
Restaurant workers experienced all of the changes in the industry during the pandemic on an individual level, often facing conflicting pressures from their employers, from customers, pressures to protect their own health, and pressures to earn a living.
March 13: How Coronavirus Impacts NYC Restaurant Workers
March 26: I’m an Undocumented Restaurateur — Who’s Going to Help Me?
April 30: NYC Restaurant Workers Fear Uncertain Future After Coronavirus ; Coronavirus alters the future of New York restaurants
July 14: NYC Restaurant Workers Are Scared to Return to Work Because of the Coronavirus Crisis ; What It’s Like to Work In a Restaurant Right Now, According to Restaurant Workers
July 20: Danny Meyer’s Restaurants Will End Their No-Tipping Policy
July 27: How the End of the CARES Act Affects NYC Restaurant Workers
August 3: Jobless Restaurant Workers Now Receiving Sub-Minimum Wage Benefits as $600 Aid Checks Expire
August 3: The Uncertainties Facing New York City’s Young Essential Workers
August 5: At COVID-19 peak in NY, restaurant let go a staggering 80% of staff
August 14: Jobless NYC Restaurant Workers Are Increasingly Turning to Food Pantries to Survive
September 10: COVID-19: Manhattan Restaurant Workers Looking For Jobs On Long Island
September 11: Why Indoor Dining in NYC Terrifies Some Restaurant Workers
October 1: NYC Restaurant Jobs Still Sharply Down From Pre-Virus Levels
November 12: How the Pandemic Inspired a Kitchen-Share Scene Among Out-of-Work Chefs
November 19: NYC Restaurant Jobs Regained Could Be Lost with Indoor Dining Shutdown
December 2: Report: Being A Restaurant Worker During A Pandemic Is Even Worse Than You Think
December 10: NYC Restaurant Workers Are Grappling With the Crushing Mental Toll of COVID
February 2: NYC Restaurant Workers Are Now Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine; NYC Restaurant Workers Are Eligible For COVID-19 Vaccine; NYC Will Prioritize Restaurant Workers for COVID Vaccines | Food & Wine
February 17: N.Y. Restaurant Fires Waitress Who Wouldn’t Get Covid-19 Vaccine; New York City waitress fired after not getting the Covid-19 vaccine
February 25: NYC Restaurant Workers Report Decline In Tips Following COVID-19 Surcharge
Early in the pandemic, restaurants and bars were allowed to sell alcohol to go. By July, restrictions were added to this deal. Additionally, in an effort to ensure social distancing at restaurants and bars, a three strikes rule was introduced, leading to liquor licence suspensions for many over the following months.
March 16: Cuomo Announces Bars & Restaurants Can Sell To-Go Cocktails During Coronavirus Shutdown
March 18: Here’s How NYC Bars Are Adapting To The New Alcohol To-Go Rule
July 7: New Yorkers want to keep booze in post-coronavirus food delivery
July 16: No Food? No Booze. Cuomo Cracks Down on Outdoor Drinking at Bars.
July 16:No food, no service: New York will ban booze at bars without eats ; No Alcohol for NYers Unless Served With Food, Cuomo Says
July 16: Restaurant unveils $1 “Cuomo Chips” after Governor announces alcohol regulations
July 16: Cuomo Introduces Three Strike Rule For NYC Restaurants and Bars to Enforce Social Distancing
July 22: New York Bars Add Questionable Dollar Menus to Comply with COVID-19 Rules
July 23: No More ‘Cuomo Chips’ For NYC Coronavirus Alcohol Orders
July 24: De Blasio Promises Stepped Up Enforcement At Bars And Restaurants As Cuomo Says Not Enough Is Being Done ; Reopen NY: 37 bars, restaurants issued summonses for violating New York and SLA rules
July 26: 105 violations issued to NY bars, restaurants over crowds, masks ; Cuomo Again Threatens to Re-close NYC Bars, Restaurants; 132 Violations Issued in 3 Days
July 27: 27 More NYC Bars, Restaurants Ticketed For Coronavirus Violations ;
100 NYC, Long Island Restaurants and Bars Cited for COVID-19 Violations
August 11: List: 38 more NYC, NY bars have liquor licenses suspended over coronavirus violations
August 14: Indoor Dining Has Accounted For Almost 50% Of NYC Restaurant Pandemic Suspensions
August 16: 55 bar, restaurant violations in NYC, LI so far this weekend
August 19: COVID NYC Update: East Village restaurant Cloister Café sues to get liquor license reinstated
August 24: COVID-19: New Restrictions Placed On NY Restaurants, Bars
December 31: New York restaurant loses liquor license after ‘Covid conga line’ party
February 23: 23 more NYC, LI bars lose their liquor licenses for COVID-19 violations
A variety of restrictions, including curfew and capacity limits, which were implemented through the pandemic received backlash and lawsuits from business owners.
October 20: NYC restaurant owner blasts coronavirus shutdown: Hardworking people are being ‘punished’
November 11: Governor Cuomo Announces Restaurants, Bars & Other SLA-licensed Entities Must Close In-person Service From 10 PM to 5 AM Daily ; Bars, Restaurants, Gyms in NY Must Close by 10 PM Each Night ; New York Will Impose a 10 p.m. Curfew on Bars and Restaurants ; Cuomo Orders New COVID-19 Restrictions As Cases In New York Climb
November 19: Curfews Will Do Almost Nothing to Stop the Spread of COVID
December 2: Staten Island Bar Declaring Itself “Autonomous Zone” Raided For COVID Violations, Owner Arrested ; “This Is A Battle”: Protesters, Proud Boys, And Elected Officials Rally Against Public Health Measures Outside Staten Island Bar ; NYC bar owner who defied coronavirus restrictions arrested
December 11: Cuomo’s indoor dining warning prompts new anxiety from NYC restaurant industry ; In Light of New Data, Some NYC Restaurateurs Express Consternation at Indoor Dining Ban
December 14: Just 1.3% of NYC COVID Cases Are Coming From Restaurants. Why Has Cuomo Banned Indoor Dining? ; NY data lists restaurants as low coronavirus risk. Owners ask: Then why is Cuomo killing us?
December 15: ‘Save us!’: Restaurant owners and workers rally for aid at Manhattan march ; Video: NYC restaurant owners protest coronavirus restrictions, ‘demand’ action
December 18: The Anti-Shutdown Lawyer Suing New York on Behalf of Small Businesses
December 28: Judge says New York State must compromise on COVID-19 restrictions on bars and restaurants
January 11: NYC Restaurants in Brooklyn Sue Cuomo Over Dining Rules https://www.silive.com/coronavirus/2021/01/state-to-allow-indoor-dining-in-orange-zones-but-ban-continues-in-nyc.html
January 14: COVID NY Update: After court ruling, parts of New York can resume indoor dining — but not NYC ; Indoor Dining In New York City Remains Shut Down As Restrictions Are Lifted In Other Parts Of State ; Indoor dining in some NY hot spots outside NYC after lawsuit
February 10: COVID-19: Judge Rules On NY Curfew For Restaurants, Bars
Food writers, journalists, restaurant owners, and others in the hospitality industry speculated throughout the pandemic about what a post-pandemic restaurant industry would look like, but as the situation continues to unfold, many questions are yet to be answered.
March 26: Opinion | Will the Coronavirus Make Restaurants Like Mine Extinct?
April 23: My Restaurant Was My Life for 20 Years. Does the World Need It Anymore?
May 7: NYC’s Post-Coronavirus Restaurant Scene Will Be Unrecognizable ; Table For None: Tom Colicchio Explains What Restaurants Need To Survive
May 12: Save Yesterday’s Restaurant Industry—Or “Let It Die”?
May 14: Restaurants will need a miracle to survive the coronavirus pandemic
May 15: 1 in 4 restaurants won’t reopen after the coronavirus pandemic, OpenTable CEO warns
May 22: The Case for Letting the Restaurant Industry Die
June 21: How Chinese-American restaurants are ensuring their future
June 30: ‘Who Are We For?’ How the Virus Is Testing the Identity of Chinatown
June 30: Rethinking Indoor Dining in NYC
October 1: New York City could lose half of bars and restaurants to coronavirus top official warns ; As Many as Half of New York City Restaurants Could Close Due to Coronavirus Pandemic ; Many NY City Restaurants on Verge of Closing: Report ; Report: Half of NYC restaurants, bars could close permanently ; Half of New York City’s Restaurants, Bars Could Permanently Close Due to Coronavirus, State Audit Finds ; NYS Comptroller Audit: Up To 50% Of NYC Bars And Restaurants Could Close Permanently In Next 6 Months
October 12: The Uncertain Promises of Indoor Dining in New York City
For more information check out From Pandemic to Protests: How Food Businesses Are Responding, Eater NY, GrubStreet, The New York City Recovery Index, Eater NY’s timeline of COVID-19’s Impact on NYC’s Restaurant Industry