New York's outdoor dining scene is struggling as only seven out of 3,000 restaurants have received the necessary liquor licenses. Due to new regulations, restaurants must obtain city permits before applying for state ones. Since March 2024, only 47 permits have been approved. Owners express frustration as they transition from a harsh winter to spring without the ability to serve drinks outdoors, leading some to consider illegal operations while they await approval, highlighting the competitive disadvantage and dire circumstances they face.
We're already coming off of a terribly cold winter, and to finally walk into decent weather and not be able to serve our customers with drinks outside is just crippling, said Eytan Sugarman, owner of the famed White Horse Tavern in the West Village.
A conditional approval is not enough to apply to the state for a liquor license, and Sugarman decided not to risk serving illegally. Other people do it. I don't fault them, they're desperate. You lose every competitive edge, and it's absolute murder.
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