“Outdoor dining will be here forever,” Mayor Eric Adams exclaimed as he signed a bill on Wednesday that will extend curbside eating across the five boroughs.
Dubbed “Dining Out NYC,” Hizzoner permanently expanded outdoor dining across the city with the stroke of a pen by allowing any restaurant to purchase a permit for customers to eat outside of their establishment—whether on the curb or on the sidewalk. This comes after more than a year of negotiations between the Adams administration and the City Council, coupled with the restaurant industry and concerned residents weighing in. The mayor stated that the new program would resemble a scenic Paris street.