The Brian Lehrer Show
Outdoor Dining Season Begins
Mar 28, 2025
Ryan Kailath, an arts and culture reporter from WNYC/Gothamist, dives into the complexities of New York City’s outdoor dining scene as the season kicks off. He sheds light on the confusing and costly approval process restaurants face, comparing this year’s outdoor setups to the pandemic surge. The discussion also touches on the economic struggles for local eateries, particularly affecting immigrant-owned businesses amid deportation fears. Kailath emphasizes the need for community support as restaurants adapt to the ever-changing landscape.
18:43
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Quick takeaways
- The new bureaucratic process for outdoor dining approval has significantly limited participation from restaurants, reducing numbers from 6,000 to around 2,500.
- Restaurant owners face prohibitive costs in maintaining outdoor dining setups, leading to closures and difficulties adapting to current economic challenges.
Deep dives
The Expansion of Outdoor Dining in NYC
Outdoor dining in New York City is set to expand again on April 1st, allowing restaurants to use roadway setups known as dining sheds that occupy parking spaces. This seasonal program, which runs from April to October, adds to the existing sidewalk dining permits, which are allowed year-round. Despite initial excitement about institutionalizing outdoor dining post-pandemic, the rollout has encountered significant bureaucratic hurdles resulting in only a fraction of establishments receiving full approval. As of now, around 2,500 establishments are expected to participate, a drastic reduction from the approximately 6,000 that engaged in outdoor dining during the peak of the pandemic.
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