NYC Outdoor Dining Sheds Return: Program May Become Year-Round

Outdoor Dining Season Begins

• 🍽️ Outdoor dining sheds in New York City have officially been approved to serve customers starting today.
• 💡 Despite the return, the current cooler weather makes outdoor dining less appealing, though sheds can be used even in cold conditions.

Restaurant Operations and Sheds

• 🏢 At Da Andrea in Chelsea, a restaurant with an indoor capacity of 120, the sheds will provide a 50% increase in seating capacity.
• 💰 The construction of these sheds costs thousands of dollars, and restaurants must store them during the off-season, making it an expensive proposition.
• ⚠️ New rules prohibit the sheds from operating during the winter months, impacting their year-round viability.

City Approvals and Applications

• 📊 The city's Department of Transportation has granted conditional approval for 600 sheds so far.
• 📍 Half of these approved sheds are in Manhattan, with 182 in Brooklyn, and no applications received yet from Staten Island.
• 🏡 Da Andrea plans to add one more shed, bringing their total to three, and intends to decorate them with lighting.

Sidewalk Seating vs. Sheds

• ☀️ More than 1,800 restaurants will also have sidewalk seating cafes, which are permitted year-round.
• 🚶 While sidewalk seating is an option, the bulk of the additional seating will be within the dining sheds.
• 📈 Restaurants are looking forward to offering customers more seating options, especially during the beautiful summertime weather.