King Cuomo to allow indoor dining with stringent rules & snitches

Governor Andrew Cuomo made a complete about-face in just a couple of days. He will now allow indoor dining, but only at 25% capacity. He has no scientific basis for the 25% rule but at least he’s opening. The opening is September 30th. He has bankrupted a lot of restaurants.

The rules are extreme:

• Temperature checks will be required at the door for all customers
• One member of each party will be required to provide contact information for tracing if needed (phone number, email, etc.)
• No bar service; bars will only be used as service bars, a source of making drinks and serving them table-side.
• Masks must be worn at all times when not seated at a table and tables must be 6 feet apart.
• Restaurants will close at midnight.
• Strict adherence to all state-issued guidance.
• Restaurants should operate with air filtration, ventilation, and purification standards.
• Limit air recirculation and allow for outdoor air ventilation.
• Outdoor dining will continue in the interim.

Cuomo said city and state inspectors will enforce compliance along with everyday New Yorkers.

SNITCHES REQUIRED

He wants New Yorkers to snitch. Just like any dictator, he wants snitches.

Cuomo said patrons who observe violations should report compliance issues by calling 833-208-4160 or by texting VIOLATION to 855-904-5036. More information can be found at ny.gov/nycindoordining.

“It will all be anonymous—the restaurant will not know you are the one who provided information,” the governor said.

The state will expand its State Police and State Liquor Authority task force, while New York City will provide 400 code enforcement inspectors.

“The number of places that are going to have to be checked for compliance are about 10,000, so even with the state expanding the task force and the city adding 400 code compliance inspectors to that task force, 10,000 is still a very large universe,” Cuomo said.

The governor said the Restaurant Association and New York state will run PSAs asking New Yorkers “to report violations of that 25 percent capacity” so an inspector can then be sent to the restaurant.

If only he cared about getting criminals and rioters to comply with the law as much as he cares about diners and restaurant owners.

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