NJ Behind All Neighboring States When it Comes to Allowing Indoor Dining

TRENTON (June 18, 2020) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the leading small business association in New Jersey with thousands of members in the state, said that Governor Murphy’s delay in allowing limited indoor dining is putting many restaurants in a precarious financial position and threatens the existence of those small businesses and their employee’s jobs. Surrounding states have moved much more quickly to allow limited and safe indoor dining, even if it required regional decisions based on health metrics.

“There is no word today of an uptick in COVID-19 cases in New Jersey, yet all the surrounding states have either fully or partially allowed restaurants to open for indoor dining,” said NFIB State Director Eileen Kean. “Restaurants in our state, if not already closed for good, may soon be forced to do so.”

“During normal times most restaurants manage on small profit margins, so the forced shutdowns have left them struggling to survive,” added Kean. “Outdoor dining and curbside pickup don’t bring in enough cash and some don’t have a place for eating outside. Those that do face the chance of inclement weather.”

Recently Gov. Murphy sued Asbury Park when that local government moved to allow its restaurants to open for indoor dining when it wasn’t permitted by the state. A court recently ruled in the Governor’s favor.

“Shore businesses only have a limited window in which to make money for the whole year so they are even more desperate,” Kean added. “At least in New York and Pennsylvania, there have been regional areas of lower risk where restaurants have been permitted to have indoor dining. New Jersey should quickly consider a similar approach before it’s too late.”

Right now the following states executive orders show they currently allow indoor dining statewide, or in large swaths of the state:

Pennsylvania: Currently more than half the state is open for indoor dining and many more counties will join that list tomorrow, except for Philadelphia and some surrounding counties
Delaware: The entire state opened for indoor dining on May 19.
New York: The majority of regions in the state are open for indoor dining, with the mid-Hudson area being added on Tuesday of next week, and Long Island on Wednesday. Only New York City will not have indoor dining at that point.
Connecticut: Entire state opened for indoor dining on Wednesday of this week.
Maryland: Opened for indoor seating statewide on June 12.

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For more than 75 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses, and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.