NEW YORK - Like most restaurant owners in the city, Roni Mazumdar is rolling with the punches. The hits keep coming.

"We have exhausted all resources possible to even come to this point. This is the final big blow," said Mazumdar.

He opened Rahi, a modern Indian restaurant located in Manhattan's West Village nearly three and a half years ago.

Starting December 14, the 90-seater will have all of its tables empty; and not by choice. Indoor dining will no longer be allowed in the five boroughs.

"The whole purpose of a restaurant is to bring people together and that is essentially what we are not able to do right now, especially with indoor dining being shut," he said.

Health officials say restaurants account for less than 2% of current and rising COVID-19 infections in New York City. Still, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill De Blasio agree - it is too risky to have people without masks eating together in such close quarters during a resurgence of the pandemic.

Mazumdar will now have to almost entirely rely on delivery orders to stay in business. He has been using Grub Hub and Door Dash for that. Even that arrangement comes with its downsides.

“To keep the delivery programs going on a $50 to $55 order. You are giving away $15 before you even blink an eye to the delivery company. On top of that, you have your payroll. There goes another $15. Then you have your food costs. That is easily another $15. You are left with $5 in terms of rent and other expenses,” said Mazumdar

The restaurant has a few tables for outdoor dining. Construction to make the area winter-ready will cost a whopping $60,000. There is no telling if customers will want to eat out in the cold.

"I wish there was a way for us to put politics aside and actually for our congress and politicians to wake up and realize how much this industry brings to the table. How this is the fabric of New York City and how quickly we need help," said the restaurant owner.