State police and liquor authorities conducted surprise inspections of 945 restaurants and bars in New York on Monday night to check their compliance with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s anti-COVID regulations, immediately stripping 11 establishments of their liquor licenses for gross violations and citing 27 more for infractions that could result in fines of up to $10,000.
The spot checks, part of a crackdown initiated by the governor to keep his state’s daily count of new coronavirus infections among the lowest in the nation, raised the number of places that have lost their liquor licenses because of non-compliance to 94. Another 612 places have been hit with warnings or fines for such lapses as failing to have employees wear face masks and not keeping parties at least six feet apart.
Several of the places that were sanctioned on Monday were serving drinks to customers who didn’t order food first, a requirement imposed by Cuomo a few weeks ago to discourage young people from congregating at the bar. Many places have added low-cost food options like a $1 cup of potato chips—known to the rebels as Cuomo Chips—to meet the requirement. The inspectors found many places flouting the regulation altogether.
Other infractions ranged from letting patrons play pool to allowing some customers to stand while nursing a drink. New York’s updated regulations only permit drinks to be served to seated patrons, another measure intended to discourage loitering.
"New Yorkers crushed the curve of the virus and their actions have allowed us to maintain a low infection rate throughout our reopening, but we must continue to be smart and cautious, especially as we watch cases rise throughout the rest of the country," Cuomo said in a statement. "While I commend the vast majority of bar and restaurant owners who have taken extraordinary precautions and remained vigilant during this crisis, our top priority is protecting public health and the taskforce remains laser focused on holding accountable those who willfully violate the law."
In concert with his counterparts from New Jersey and Connecticut, Cuomo has ordered visitors to New York from 30 other states to self-quarantine for 14 days before traveling at will in the Tri-State Area. On Wednesday, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio announced that he will set up checkpoints at bridges and tunnels to screen incoming traffic and identify visitors from the 30 states where infection rates have soared in recent weeks. “They will be reminded that it is required, not optional,” to isolate themselves for 14 days before interacting with the local population, De Blasio said.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.