With the news that Valentine’s Day weekend (starting Friday, Feb. 12) will mark the return to indoor dining at 25 percent capacity, lovebirds across New York are scrambling to swiftly change plans from sitting on the couch surrounded by chocolate wrappers and empty bottles of wine to actually visiting the outside world and sitting down inside a restaurant.
In another sign that we could soon see a shred of normalcy in the restaurant industry, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced this week that restaurant workers are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
If you didn’t hear it directly from the governor, we’ve got real heart emoji material for you.
The sight of restaurant workers—or anyone else, for that matter—wearing face masks at every turn seemed weird in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, as we inch closer to the one-year anniversary (gasp!) of the initial shutdown, masks are just as commonplace at the front counter and in the kitchen as aprons, hairnets, and non-slip shoes.
The economic boom served up by Restaurant Week also comes to Long Island this week, with the same takeout and to-go option enjoyed by NYC customers—but with the added benefit of limited indoor dining.
Though the summer iteration never took place, New York City’s Restaurant Week is returning at the end of the month with an all-new, much needed, takeout component.
Good news for restaurants, bars, and other small businesses: The U.S. government is now accepting applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a vital lifeline for an industry that’s been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We never thought we’d find ourselves normalizing outdoor dining in January. Just like all of you, we’d much rather talk about restaurant openings, kitchen innovations, and New York City’s glorious sit-down dining scene—but alas, those topics aren’t on the menu just yet.
We’d venture a guess that few people are reluctantly moving forward into 2021, clinging to the year that was because it was oh-so great. Instead, we’re feeling a sense of relief throughout the restaurant industry, as proprietors look for the best way to help their hungry and thirsty customers safely celebrate the holiday season.
It might be hard to believe, but there was a time in the NYC restaurant industry before COVID-19.
