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NYC restaurants can now offer outdoor dining year-round

Supporters of the measure say year-round outdoor dining will help small businesses by providing additional seating and attracting more customers.

Molly Bruton

Aug 31, 2026, 4:43 PM

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Restaurants across New York City will now be allowed to offer outdoor dining throughout the year after Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed legislation eliminating seasonal restrictions on the program Monday.

Supporters of the measure say year-round outdoor dining will help small businesses by providing additional seating and attracting more customers.

Not everyone backed the change. Some opponents raised concerns that outdoor dining structures could create obstacles for emergency responders and complicate access during medical emergencies.

The new law also allows restaurants to weatherproof outdoor dining setups, enabling them to operate during the fall and winter months.

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