Roadway dining more costly than profitable, owners say

It’s no April Fool’s, although it may feel like it for some restaurateurs.

On April 1, roadway dining resumed throughout NYC, but you might not realize it when passing by several establishments in the northwest Bronx. Once a common feature seemingly on every block, some business owners are struggling to find the benefit in rebuilding their al fresco dining structures.

Dining Out NYC was an initiative started by the Mayor Eric Adams’ administration and Department of Transit to compensate businesses for the lack of indoor dining due to restrictions imposed by the pandemic.   

Nov. 29, 2024 marked the first time a deadline was imposed for the removal of outdoor sheds since the start of the pandemic. The Press spoke with the owners and/or managers of Blackstone Bar & Grill, Bronx Alehouse, An Beal Bocht Cafe and Santa Fe Grill and Bar to inquire on their experience. With outdoor dining back in effect a little more than four months later, each have yet to set up roadway cafes.

Bartender Cassandra Sawyer of An Beal Bocht at 445 W. 238th St., said the establishment hasn’t given up hope for some sort of street dining set up, but it’s unlikely due to the DOT’s “strict regulations” this time around.

“Apparently, because of the new stipulations, you have to take it down every time the outdoor dining season concludes,” Sawyer said. “We don’t have the space to store the setup during the winter.”

She said the outdoor shack they implemented at the beginning of the pandemic was constructed by strong Irish carpenters which would be tough to duplicate.

The new regulations charging establishments rates ranging from $5 to $25 per square foot, also known as the Revocable Consent Fee, is another reason An Beal Bocht likely won’t be bringing back the outdoor dining shack.

Sawyer also cited the incline on 238th Street between Greystone and Waldo avenues as another factor for not bringing back the street dining setup.

“We want to bring it back, but with the stricter regulations, I really don’t know,” Sawyer added.

Steve Catechis , owner of Blackstone Bar & Grill told The Press he paid $15,000 for a canopy in mid-2020 as part of a set up in front of the 3713 Riverdale Ave. location, which included traffic barriers along the exterior.

When DOT required all establishments to remove their setups, Catechis said he was forced to dispose of most of the materials from his outdoor dining space and donated the traffic barriers he purchased.

In total, Catechis’ setup cost $24,000 and said he is unsure if he will bring the set up back.

“I really think people in Riverdale like eating al fresco — it was a European type of feel,” Catechis said. “But to be honest, the cost of the new setup may outweigh the benefit.”

As of April 1, just under 2,500 roadway and sidewalk set ups officially opened throughout the city. However, before the Nov. 29 deadline, there were approximately 13,000 outdoor dining structures, including 8,000 roadway dining setups, according to NY Eater, a NYC-based restaurant guide.

Last week, NYC Council unanimously passed multiple bills to limit a sidewalk shed’s life to three months at a time, with certain exceptions including demolition, building alterations or new construction.

To make participation as easy as possible, Dining Out NYC Marketplace serves as a directory for businesses which sell or rent outdoor dining set-ups and services.

Roadway cafe rentals are available for a little more than $1,000 per month or $33 per day, to provide affordable setup options for the city’s food establishments.

“We’re probably not going to be able to recreate that magic again,” Sawyer said sadly.