New York City's outdoor dining program has seen a sharp decline in participation, with only 2,100 restaurants obtaining permits six weeks into the 2024 season, according to data obtained by the New York Post.

The current number represents a decrease from approximately 2,500 permits issued last year and a dramatic drop from the roughly 13,000 outdoor dining setups that operated during the COVID-19 pandemic when emergency measures allowed expanded street dining.

The decline comes as the city has transitioned from its emergency outdoor dining program, which was implemented during the pandemic to help restaurants survive capacity restrictions, to a permanent regulatory framework that requires formal permitting processes.

Restaurant industry representatives have expressed concerns about the permitting requirements, though specific details about the regulatory challenges were not provided in the available data. The outdoor dining program became a lifeline for many establishments during the pandemic when indoor capacity was severely limited.

The permanent outdoor dining rules were designed to formalize what had been an emergency measure, but the implementation appears to have resulted in fewer participating restaurants compared to both the pandemic peak and the previous year's participation levels.