Bronx Restaurants Turn Their Back on NYC's Permanent Outdoor Dining Program

Bronx Restaurants Turn Away from NYC's New Outdoor Dining Program

After the success of the Open Restaurants program during the pandemic, many Bronx restaurants are choosing to avoid the city's new permanent Dining Out NYC program. The main reasons? High costs, complex regulations, and a lack of trust in the city's system.

Ken Alcaron, owner of Maravillas Bar and Grill, invested over $20,000 in outdoor dining structures during the pandemic but faced constant scrutiny and enforcement from the city. He even had his structure removed without warning, leading him to say, "It’s like they punched me in my mouth."

Alcaron's experience is reflected in the low number of Bronx restaurants applying for the new program. Only 116 out of over 3,500 applications citywide came from the Bronx, a significant drop from the 698 that participated in Open Restaurants.

The new program has its own set of challenges, including:

• A flat application fee and an annual fee based on square footage.
• Compliance costs, including materials and construction.
• Seasonal dismantling and reconstruction for roadway cafes.
• Separate liability insurance requirements.

While some restaurants are committed to outdoor dining for its community benefits, like Paul DiSilvio of Funici A'pizza and O’caffe, others, like Omar Canales of Seis Vecinos, are finding the process too burdensome and are choosing to avoid the program.

The city is being called upon to examine the disparity in participation between boroughs and consider changes to the rules, fees, and application procedures to encourage more restaurants to offer outdoor dining.

This drop in participation isn't just a hospitality issue; it's also an equity issue. The Open Restaurants program had a positive impact on communities of color by increasing access to public space.

The city must strike a balance between creating a sustainable outdoor dining program and ensuring its accessibility for all restaurants.