The blighted dining sheds that sprang up en masse during the COVID-19 pandemic could soon be a thing of the past due to strict new regulations — with thousands shuttering across the city as restaurant owners say they aren’t worth the cash and hassle. Dubbed “ Dining Out NYC ,” the rules that went into effect Aug. 3 mandate restaurant owners to pay both a four-year $1,050 to $2,100 licensing fee and an annual fee based on the size of their sidewalk café — and shell out even more if their establishment is below 125th Street in Manhattan.
Eateries must also be able to store the sheds elsewhere from December to April (sidewalk dining will still be permitted year-round); avoid sheds encroaching on trees; maintain sheds at least 15 feet from fire hydrants and ensure ADA-compliant setups, among a bevy of other provisions. “To be able to take it down, put it up, store it — unless you had a huge storefront, I don’t think it’s worth it,” said Maureen Donohue, owner of the 74-year-old Upper East Side mainstay Donohue’s Steakhouse, which tore its sheds down two weeks ago. The pandemic-era outdoor dining cabin saved Donohue’s business, she said.
The dining cabin once accounted for 35% of revenue — and its loss would make it hard to renew her lease . “It’s too costly ..
. [but] I miss it,” she told The Post. Donohue isn’t the only one drawing the same cost-benefit conclusion.
Less than 2,600 restaurants applied for permits before last week’s deadline, a.