Bar and restaurant owners may be drawing a sigh of relief after state lawmakers announced an ease on restrictions for dining.
On Wednesday, legislators rescinded Gov. Andrew Cuomo s order requiring the purchase of food with alcohol; shortly before, Cuomo announced the midnight curfew for bars and restaurants would be repealed for outdoor dining May 17 and May 31 for indoor dining. It s definitely getting things back to normal, said Jeff Stone, president of Orb Food and Beverage, which owns Utica eateries Babe s at Harbor Point, 72 Tavern & Grill and Kookie s Q & Creamery in Utica.
Stone said their customers have been happy to be able to have a drink without ordering food. The curfew has not affected the restaurants as much as it did during football and college basketball season, he said.