May National

NAVIGATING THE NEW ERA OF OUTDOOR DINING: Challenges and Solutions for NYC Restaurants

Department of Transportation estimates there are over 10,000 “dining sheds” that are impacted by the new regulations and codes recently published by the DOT February 6. The all new program managed by the DOT, branded as DiningOut NYC, seeks to redress the challenges to the 5 borough neighborhood communities observed over the last 3 years restaurants have been operating outdoor dining. your restaurant? The New York City Are you operating outdoor dining in the roadway in front of A Although the new regulations are creating quite a stir in the restaurant and bar industry, inducing a financial and operational “headache” for owners and managers, each code prioritizes important public health and safety concerns, including: Traffic safety for pedestrians and outdoor diners, overall public health and city sanitation, emergency fire and Page 82 I HOSPITALITY NEWS MAY

medical response accessibility, city beautification, and more.

One of the key changes in the program’s mandate is the seasonality of outdoor dining. Under the new rules, establishments eligible for participation in DiningOut NYC may only install and operate outdoor dining sheds during the period of April 1 to November 30.

This means that restaurants are responsible for uninstalling and storing their outdoor dining structures during the winter off-season. Among all of the challenges the program changes impose upon businesses, this requirement is the single greatest pain point for operators. The need for solutions has catalyzed the creation of a new market for outdoor dining as a service, and we’re now seeing a lot of new vendors responding with offerings for city restaurants and bars.