Restaurants and other businesses
can now open at 75% capacity in New York City.
The rule applies to a variety of
businesses that include restaurants, hair salons, barber shops, and other
personal care services.
This means New York City is finally
on the same page following the same rules as the rest of the state.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a press
conference that it is time to loosen some restrictions put in place to protect
public health and help local businesses. He called the fight against COVID-19
long and incredibly difficult and added that restaurants were some of the
hardest hit businesses.
Cuomo hopes easing restrictions
will put more money in the pockets of New Yorkers and business owners.
This Mother's Day weekend will be a
test to see if there will be an economic boom as businesses make additional
room for more customers.
Kokomo NYC is a Caribbean
restaurant that opened when only takeout and delivery were options. The owner
says he is thrilled for indoor dining to open up ahead of Mother's Day.
"If we were
at 25% and it was Mother's Day, it would be very demoralizing. I wouldn't have
that energy that I'm having right now. And I think that it's a beautiful thing
for us to have these mothers come in with their children and families and be
able to sit at a table of four, or table of eight and really feel safe and secure
that things are going back to normal," said owner Kevin Graham.
Graham says the
restaurant is now permitted to have a little more than 100 people inside with
the new guidelines. Without restrictions 140 people would be allowed inside at
once.