Melissa Fleischut, President and CEO, New York State Restaurant Association said, "Today's announcement comes at a pivotal time for the restaurant industry in New York City, and we would like to thank Governor Cuomo for recognizing this and providing hope to the thousands of restaurants based here in the culinary capital of the world. Allowing restaurants to open indoors at a limited capacity will provide these eateries with an economic lifeline as they all try and keep their doors open through this pandemic. We will happily work with relevant governmental agencies and hospitality partners to help ensure that all restaurants in New York City understand the rules."

Jeremy Merrin, Vice President, NYC Chapter, NYS Restaurant Association; Founder and CEO, Havana Central Restaurant Group said, "We are so grateful to Governor Cuomo for putting together a plan to re-open restaurants for indoor dining in New York City at 25 percent. We strongly believe that the vast majority of restaurant owners will take this opportunity seriously and adhere to all CDC and DOH guidelines. With this plan, it will be very safe to dine in New York City. We look forward to working with the Governor and the Mayor to ensure indoor dining is a success."

Danny Meyer, Founder & CEO, Union Square Hospitality Group, "Running a restaurant is a labor of love, and along with many colleagues and staff members, we have struggled through the unparalleled challenges of this pandemic, working our best to safely provide hospitality to hungry New Yorkers via curbside pickup, deliveries and outdoor spaces, not knowing how much longer we can go. I join my colleagues in thanking the Governor for opening the door to a safe and gradual recovery by providing a sensible solution for indoor dining and look forward to working with everyone to guarantee the safety of our customers and staff. This is an important first step to hiring back more members of our team, doing more business with our suppliers, and welcoming New Yorkers back to New York.