Empire State Today

In response to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's lockdown policies, a group of New York City restaurant owners have banded together to ban Cuomo from eating at the establishments, according to the Washington Examiner. 

The members of the restaurants belong to a Facebook group called “NYC Restaurants Open” and is made up of bar and restaurant owners based in New York City who have been vocal about encouraging other restaurant and bar owners to join the ban against Cuomo.

“I kind of had this thought as well if I was an owner of a restaurant in NYC after everything, if he came in I would turn his ass away as well. Whichever restaurants are vowing this they deserve the utmost respect,” Matthew R Habermann wrote.

Another chimed in to lend support.

“Although I am not in NYC, please know that hardworking NYC restaurant owners, their employees, and their families have our support. Keep up the good fight, and more people than you realize are standing with you,” David Thrower wrote.

Cuomo moved to reinstate restrictions that had been lifted previously despite facing strong resistance from many restaurant owners.

“In New York City, you put the CDC caution on indoor dining together with the rate of transmission and the density and the crowding, that is a bad situation,” Cuomo said in his announcement of the tighter restrictions.

The tight rules have forced many restaurant owners to find ways to still earn a living in the midst of restrictions, with some choosing to offer free food and drinks to their patrons and requesting donations in lieu of payment