Reversal of Indoor Dining Over “Knuckleheads” Puts Responsible Restaurants at Risk
Gov. should consider alternative options to ease financial turmoil in hospitality industry

TRENTON (June 30, 2020) – Many Restaurant owners across New Jersey are reeling after Governor Phil Murphy reversed his decision to allow indoor dining to begin on July 2, stating it still would now be “a matter of weeks” before that step takes place. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), a small business association with thousands of members in New Jersey including restaurants and bars, asked why alternative options were not considered to help save the struggling hospitality industry.

“Restaurant owners spent money they don’t have after months of shutdowns with limited revenue to buy food and bring back more employees to be ready for indoor dining around the Fourth of July,” said Eileen Kean, state director of NFIB in New Jersey. “Instead of causing more financial turmoil, why didn’t the Governor take enforcement actions  against bad actors instead who weren’t requiring face coverings or distancing?”

“We want to see the science that justifies this knee jerk reaction that appears to be based on our Governor’s observations and his worry about what he’s hearing about in other states,” added Kean. “If there is a data-based risk, then let’s break the state down by county or region as New York and Pennsylvania have done to prevent at least some restaurants from permanent closure by offering a reasonable balance.”

Recently Governor Phil Murphy vetoed legislation that would have provided CARES Act funds to the hospitality industry which has been especially hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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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.