NEW YORK — Helpless. That’s how John Demos feels when he looks at his empty dining room in the Cosmic Diner. He’s been the manager here since the diner opened 15 years ago in the Theater District.
 
“It’s hurting me inside but what you gonna do there’s nothing I can do . I can’t change nothing," Demos said.


What You Need To Know

  • The second shutdown of indoor dining in the five boroughs went into affect Monday

  • Bar and restaurant owners say the shutdown makes no sense because state data shows indoor dining accounts for less than 2% of COVID cases

  • Industry leaders also calling on Congress to approve the Restaurants Act, $120 billion in direct assistance to restaurant owners

Demos can’t set up outdoor dining in the street because of a bus stop on Eighth Avenue in front of the restaurant. He says if this indoor dining ban the second of the pandemic, lasts more than a month, the diner may not survive.
 
“Gonna be out of business that’s it," said Demos. "Nothing you can do about it right now."
 
Hundreds of bar and restaurant owners across the city vented those same frustrations Tuesday.

They rallied in Times Square and then marched to Governor Andrew Cuomo's office, demanding he allow indoor dining to return. They say the ban makes no sense because the state’s own data shows indoor dining accounts for less than 2% of COVID cases.
 
“What’s gonna happen how we can survive we got the landlords everybody after us ,the vendors and the most important all these families all my employees have kids and it’s two weeks before Christmas," said Susana Osorio, a restaurant owner.

 

Industry leaders say thousands of bars and restaurants in the city have already gone out of business and many more may not survive the new indoor dining ban.

They’re also calling on Congress to approve the Restaurants Act, $120 billion in direct assistance to restaurants to pay their rent, vendors and other expenses. They also want the state to allow restaurants to keep their quarterly sales taxes due this week.
 
“These are small business owners workers that are the backbone of our city the fabric of our nation, our society. They need support they’re losing their livelihood," said Executive Director of NYC Hospitality Alliance Andrew Rigie.

Meanwhile, people like John Demos are running out of time and hope.
 
“Worried that I won’t be able to make a living. Scared  I’m not scared we’ll move on," he added.