New guidelines are from the State Liquor Authority on live entertainment at food establishments in New York, and it’s mostly bad news for restaurants and bars.
In the latest update to its phase three and four dining guidelines, the state bureau now bans some restaurants from offering live music and other forms of open entertainment. The new guidelines state that restaurants and bars can only offer “incidental entertainment” that specifically allows their licenses. “Advertising and / or ticketed shows are not allowed,” according to the new guidelines. “Music should be incidental to the dining experience and not the draw itself.”
Forms of destination entertainment – including comedy and karaoke – are no longer allowed at restaurants and bars as part of the policy, even for companies that are allowed to host them. In addition, customers who see a performance of any kind are not prohibited from doing so while standing and performers must be at least 12 feet away from patterns, according to the new guidelines. Spotify playlists and lift music seem to be on the table at the moment.
“This guidance is not new,” the SLA said in an email to Eater. “Live entertainment activities, including all ticketed events, have been banned since New York went on PAUSE in mid-March to stop the spread of coronavirus. After seeing an increase in companies advertising tickets for ticketed events, the SLA declared language on their website and proactively sent all bars and restaurants to make them aware of the months old restrictions. “
The new guidelines issued this week were included in a Q&A on the SLA’s website under the heading, “Can I have live entertainment as a DJ in my indoor or outdoor door?” However, some restaurant owners said they would be changed via email before the language was updated. Yudai Kanayama, the restaurateur behind the newly opened Hokkaido restaurant Chinatown Dr. Clark says he first learned of the changes on Tuesday, August 18, in an e-mail from the state agency.
According to Kanayama, a person who identified himself as a worker at the SLA visited Dr. Clark and did appear to be conducting an informal inspection of the karaoke set up outside the restaurant. “They wanted to see our menu and asked if they could take pictures,” Kanayama recalls. Shortly after that visit, the restaurant received a form email from the State Liquor Authority clarifying the new guidelines. At the bottom of the email, an additional note indicated that “karaoke is currently not allowed for health and safety reasons.”
Dr. Clark opened in late June for open-air dining and socially celebrated karaoke is one way the newly opened restaurant managed to stay afloat. “There are regulars who come here to sing every day,” says Kanayama, whose license at Dr. Clark enables karaoke for late nights. Customers at the restaurant are required to order food with karaoke and also wear masks, in accordance with previous guidelines of the State Liquor Authority.
“A lot of people have made reservations for dinner and karaoke together,” says Kanayama. “It simply came to our notice then. It’s our first week without karaoke and we’re doing our best. Meanwhile, other restaurants and bars in the city have also used live entertainment as a way to raise funds for staff and encourage customers to dine out.
