NYC DOT Announces 60-Day Countdown to Apply for Permanent Outdoor Dining Program ‘Dining Out NYC’

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 5, 2024

Contact: (212) 839-4850, press@dot.nyc.gov

NYC DOT Announces 60-Day Countdown to Apply for Permanent Outdoor Dining Program ‘Dining Out NYC’

Restaurants Currently Participating in Outdoor Dining Must Apply by August 3 or Remove Their Setups

Restaurant Owners Can Browse the Dining Out NYC Website To Find Easy-To-Use Guidance, Find Companies Offering Products and Services That Comply With Program Rules, View Protypes, and Apply for the Program

NYC DOT Launches Final Advertising and Outreach Campaign

NYC DOT social media graphic highlighting the upcoming deadline.

NEW YORK – New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced the 60-day countdown for restaurants currently participating the temporary outdoor dining program to apply for the new permanent program, Dining Out NYC, in order to continue operating their outdoor dining setup throughout the approval process. Restaurants that currently have an outdoor dining setup must apply online by August 3, or remove their setups by that deadline. Restaurant owners can visit the Dining Out NYC website for easy-to-use guidance, informational resources, prototypes for compliant outdoor dining setups, and a marketplace to find companies that provide services or products to support complaint outdoor dining cafes. Restaurants can continue to operate their current outdoor dining setups as long as they apply by the August 3 deadline.

“Don’t delay, apply today! Restaurants with outdoor dining setups have until August 3 to apply for Dining Out NYC, and we are making it as easy as possible to participate,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “New Yorkers enjoy outdoor dining and the vibrancy it brings to our communities, and that is why we are proud that Dining Out NYC has made outdoor dining a permanent part of our streets.”

“Outdoor dining has changed the way New Yorkers experience their city and their streets, and has become integral to the thousands of restaurants, bars, and cafes across the five boroughs,” said NYC Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin D. Kim. “If you're a small business owner and need help with your outdoor dining application, SBS is ready to walk you through the process and connect you with the resources you need! Call us on our hotline at 888-SBS-4NYC, go to the Dining Out NYC website, and visit the new online Dining Out Marketplace. Move over, Paris – New York is the global destination for outdoor dining!”

To ensure a smooth transition, NYC DOT is conducting an extensive outreach campaign, including advertisements via LinkNYC, bus shelters, and social media platforms, and direct on-the-ground outreach by the NYC Department of Small Business Services. This campaign aims to inform all restaurants, whether currently participating in the temporary outdoor dining program or not, about the application process for the permanent Dining Out NYC program. Applications can be submitted at nyc.gov/DiningOut.

Mayor Eric Adams launched Dining Out NYC to create a permanent outdoor dining program that builds upon the success of the temporary program while addressing quality-of-life concerns. Businesses currently participating in the temporary outdoor dining program, launched at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, must submit applications online to participate in the Dining Out NYC program.

In March, NYC DOT launched a user-friendly online application portal to streamline the application process, allowing restaurants to easily transition to participate in Dining Out NYC. The portal provides all necessary information, including required fees and documentation.

The Dining Out NYC website hosts the Dining Out Marketplace and Set-Up Menu. Launched in early May, the Dining Out NYC Marketplace serves as a one-stop-shop for restaurants seeking to install a sidewalk or roadway cafe. It features companies specializing in the construction, assembly/disassembly, moving, design, and storage of outdoor dining materials and furniture. The Marketplace is meant to be a helpful resource and using these companies is optional. The Setup Menu, launched alongside the portal, showcases four compliant roadway prototypes as models for outdoor dining setups.

The application approval timeline for a sidewalk cafe is up to six months, and up to five months for roadway cafes. If a restaurant operating a temporary outdoor dining setup submits an application to the Dining Out NYC program by August 3, they will need to bring their setup into compliance with the Dining Out NYC program design requirements within 30 days of application approval or by November 1, 2024, whichever is sooner. Restaurants participating in the temporary program that fail to comply with the August 3 deadline could face penalties of $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for subsequent offenses.

NYC expects to see the first new setups for those that applied in Summer 2024.

For more information and to apply, restaurants can visit nyc.gov/DiningOut.

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