In a fitting end to what has been a nightmare 2020 for the dining industry, restaurants and bars will largely miss out on what should be one of the most lucrative nights of the year.
New Year’s Eve — famous for overpriced meals and plenty of alcoholic beverages — will be a quiet affair as restaurants grapple with occupancy limits, early curfews and, in many parts of the U.S., a total ban on indoor dining.
“In past years, the run-up to the holidays was the time for everyone in the business to make money to carry us through the lean months of winter,” said Kip Michel, general manager of renowned Brooklyn pizza joint Roberta’s. “It’s a tough time this year.”