Alcohol Service in Outdoor Dining

During the pandemic, a law we advocated for was enacted that allowed restaurants to serve alcohol in non-continuous spaces like their roadway dining streeteries. The intent of the law was crystal clear that it allowed alcohol service in streeteries located opposite a bike lane. However, an unintended oversight in its drafting could be interpreted to prohibit it. That’s why, we advocated powerfully to overcome the objections of a small but loud group of anti-outdoor dining voices to have this technical correction to the law included in the budget deal, making it absolutely clear that alcohol service in streeteries on the other side of a bike lane is allowed.

Also, in August 2024, we alerted the industry that the New York State Liquor Authority announced a new policy concerning alcoholic beverage consumption in sidewalk and/or roadway cafes under the new DOT Dining Out NYC program. Businesses had until January 1, 2025 to submit an alteration application to SLA to allow customers to consume alcohol in sidewalk and roadway cafes under the DOT program. Thanks to The Alliance's advocacy, SLA board members did vote to extend the deadline. Instead of January 1, businesses now have 60 days from the date DOT issues their sidewalk and/or roadway cafe license to file the required alteration application with SLA. This is a positive change, and we support it. Instead of a one-size-fits-all deadline, the new deadline is tailored, based on when each business receives its sidewalk and/or roadway cafe license.