Indoor dining, which has been stopped following the COVID-19 outbreak, and repeatedly postponed due to it being considered a high risk area by health experts, will resume on September 30th, Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio announced Wednesday. 

“We are continuing New York City’s economic recovery by bringing back indoor dining. Working with the state and public health officials, we’ve achieved a plan that puts health and safety first by including strict capacity limits, a close monitoring of citywide positive testing rates and a coordinated inspection regimen,” de Blasio said in a statement. “Science will guide our decision-making as we continue to monitor progress and health care indicators over the next three weeks to ensure a safe reopening. This may not look like the indoor dining that we all know and love, but it is progress for restaurant workers and all New Yorkers.” 

Restaurants will be allowed to seat diners at 25% capacity, bar services will remain closed, customers must keep a six-foot distance, and closing time is midnight. Every restaurant will also need to pass air filtration requirements, according to Cuomo.

Every customer will need to have their temperature checked upon entering. They will also need to wear a mask and leave contact information for testing and tracing data. 

All restaurants will also need to offer employees COVID-19 protections like PPE. 

A state task force, along with 400 city code enforcement inspectors, will be set up to ensure compliance at 10,000 restaurants. 

Cuomo also added that he is giving until November 1 to determine whether indoor dining can transition to 50% capacity. 

If the city hits a 2% positivity rate of COVID tests, indoor dining will likely be suspended again, the two leaders said.

This breakthrough comes less than 24 hours after Cuomo has voiced his concerns. 

On Tuesday, Cuomo said local law enforcement has not been cooperating with ensuring regulations are taken seriously and that it is affecting his decision to reopen indoor dining.

While indoor dining is now an option, the mayor said the open restaurants program which provided street space for dining areas to allow outdoor seating will continue.