Danny Meyer, owner of Gramercy Tavern, Union Square Cafe, Eleven Madison Park and Tabla, also will lock those doors. Le Bernardin, Aquavit, Verbena and Judson Grill also have made the same choice. Chief among them, the hassle, or even ability, for diners to get here, the amount of business you'd end up doing and whether any meal could possibly live up to expectations. There also are concerns about whether sufficient numbers of employees will show up for work. It sends chills up our collective spine.
Security is another issue.
Rowdiness, drunken revelers and petty street crime are elements many restaurateurs think will be excessive this year. Of those spots that will remain open, a number plan to beef up enforcement at the front door. Chanterelle in New York is hiring extra guards to stand outside the restaurant. And the 520 Outback Steakhouse restaurants are taking extra security precautions for the night, although the company declined to be specific. But we're aware that this New Year's more than any other is ripe for potential problems.