Baby Steps: NYC To Allow 25% Indoor Seating...But You Still Can't Sit At The Bar Quite Yet

This might be a controversial opinion but I think Coronavirus is bad. I don't like that 200,000 or so Americans have died from it. Seems less than ideal. To get even more controversial, I appreciate NYC has taken extra precautionary measures to get the infection rate way down (sorry about your grandmas, that was a bad choice) and has kept things closed a little longer than most have wanted. The reason I'm cool with that is because eating and drinking outside is wonderful. The only thing better than drinking inside is drinking outside. Whether it's on a boat, at a fire, or at a table eating chips and guac at your favorite local bar, drinking outside is always better than drinking inside.

EXCEPT during football season in New York City.

Being in a packed bar during college football Saturday, and then sitting AT the bar all day on Sunday, are two of the greatest thrills in the world. Saturday is for the younger folk. Even at my ripe age of 31 going on 45, I still try to go (or I guess tried to go) to a bar on football Saturday for the thrill of it. Maryland down by 30 at the half be dammed, every sports bar with 50 TVs in NYC would be packed with people having a great time.

And then my day, Sunday. You ever just sit at the bar from 12:45 til midnight going through Miller Mites and pumpkin ales, rooting for your random bets to cover like Duke Johnson over 3.5 receptions? It's the best. Sitting at the bar, eyes laser focused on the TVs in front of you, is why we work Monday-Friday. Pure bliss.

But unfortunately that looks like something we won't be able to do this year. And I begrudgingly say "it's fine". If the other option is we go into full lockdown again which was the absolute worst thing ever, I'll take 25% indoor seating instead. 

So what is your plan? You have from now until it's cold to get to know your local bartenders. Be their friends. Tip the hell out of them. Because once it's cold, you will want to be able to fire off a text and get a table for you and your friends. Tables will be a hot commodity, and there's nothing cooler than being the guy who can get one at a moment's notice. 

And maybe if everyone is good we will be allowed to sit at the bar in time for March Madness. I think that's a reasonable goal.