For weeks, Rathbones pub on Second Avenue in Manhattan had been getting ready to seat customers inside for the first time since the coronavirus crisis erupted in March.

What You Need To Know


  • Phase Three is set to begin Monday, July 6. Originally, indoor dining at reduced capacity was expected to begin.

  • Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio are rethinking indoor dining as a part of Phase Three.

  • Hesitation to reopen indoor seating comes as COVID-19 cases spike in states across the country that were allowing restaurants and bars to serve customers inside.

"We are definitely setting up more bartenders to come in, working out the scheduling and the food orders, liquor and beer orders," said co-manager David Mac.

But now the possibility of indoor dining is in limbo, plunging the plans of bars and restaurants around the city, including Rathbones, into turmoil.

This comes after Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio said they are rethinking whether to allow indoor dining at 50 percent of capacity as part of Phase Three of the city's reopening.

Their concern is based on spikes in coronavirus cases in states that have allowed bars and restaurants to resume allowing customers inside.

"This last minute stuff, you can just do it," said Mac.

Many restaurants have already ordered food and supplies, and rehired staff, in anticipation of being allowed to fully reopen. 

"The vendor needs to make money, too, everything trickles down hill. Hopefully, they will take it back. If they don’t, then we will have a sale I guess," said Mac.

A few blocks away, the Mansion Dinner, like Rathbones, has added outdoor seating. In the Mansion Dinner's case, it's about 50 percent of its indoor capacity.

That guarantees at least some revenue, but its owner is hoping to add indoor seating, too.

"Outdoor dinning has been a game changer for us and we are very happy to have that. If we can couple that with any amount of indoor seating I think we will have a better shot of winning this fight," said owner John Philips.

Andrew Rigie is the executive director for the New York City Hospitality Alliance.

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He said whether businesses are allowed indoor seating or not, they are going to need more support from all levels of government to remain open. 

"We need to support businesses with rent support and other policies that are going to help them because even when we do reopen it is under reduced occupancy and no restaurant can sustain itself at 50% capacity. It is not possible," said Rigie.

New Jersey's governor has postponed indoor dining indefinitely. 

Bars and restaurants in the city are expected to receive more guidance as early as Wednesday.