Agency Testimony: DOT's Overview of the Permanent Dining Out NYC Program
First Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione provides an overview of the permanent Dining Out NYC program, highlighting that over 2,500 restaurants are authorized to operate for the first permanent season.
I am Margaret Forgioni, First Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation.
With me today are Michelle Craven, Associate Deputy Commissioner for Cityscape and Franchises, and Rick Rodriguez, Assistant Commissioner for Intergovernmental and Community Affairs.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of Mayor Adams and Commissioner Rodriguez on the city's outdoor dining program.
During the pandemic, New Yorkers came to enjoy and appreciate outdoor dining in new ways.
It was not only a critical lifeline for many restaurants and small businesses when indoor dining was prohibited, but it contributed to the vibrancy of our neighborhoods and improved the dining experience for so many people, especially on warm sunny days.
As the pandemic ended, New York City DOT worked closely with the City Council to make outdoor dining a permanent part of our city's streetscape, and we are pleased that the council did so when it passed Local Law 121 of 2023.
The law created seasonal roadway dining, preserved year-round sidewalk dining, and provided the framework for the future of outdoor dining.
Just as we did during the emergency program, DOT has worked hard to help as many restaurants participate in the program as possible.
Three weeks ago, DOT launched the first season of Dining Out NYC.
There were over 2,500 restaurants authorized to operate, including every restaurant that applied by the August 3rd, 2024 deadline, and completed any required steps.
While a new program and rules brings new realities for restaurants, we are encouraged that the program is already well over double the size of the city's pre pandemic program, is the largest outdoor dining program in the country, and has a similar participation rate to Paris, which also recently made elements of its outdoor dining program seasonal.
Our team has been working tirelessly to get us to this point, and we are proud of all that we have achieved so far.
Now to give some background on how we got here.