A 260% spike in outdoor dining licenses since June 2020 signals residents & businesses want amenity to be part of city’s future
PHILADELPHIA – In advance of City Council’s Nov. 9 committee hearing to discuss the future of outdoor dining, Councilmember Allan Domb today issued a review of licensing data that found the city realized a 260 percent increase in outdoor café licenses, helping restaurants throughout the city stay open during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prior to June 2020, there were 230 establishments with outdoor dining licenses, mostly located in the Center City area. Currently, there are 830 licensed establishments that are located across sections of the city that did not previously offer the dining amenity, including neighborhoods in West Philadelphia, the Riverwards, Northwest and Oak Lane, Olney and Hunting Park and neighborhoods across the entire Lower Northeast.
“For the past 18 months, restaurants of all sizes across the city used this new outdoor dining program as a lifeline to keep their doors open and employees working — all while continuing to overcome the challenges of maintaining a safe and healthy environment during Covid,” said Councilmember Domb. “We need to continue providing an equal opportunity for restaurants to participate in outdoor dining options citywide, while creating a greater level of safety, accountability, transparency and enforcement through a permanent licensing option.”
Councilmember Domb’s bills would make outdoor dining permanent for businesses across the city. With the emergency approvals expiring at the end of 2021, the legislation would update the city’s code by putting in place permanent regulations to address public safety, traffic flow, transit needs and bike lanes, and providing guidance for the Streets Department (Streets) and the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) to enforce as needed.
The bills were developed in close coordination with the City’s Administration, the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, Business Improvement Districts and business corridor managers citywide, disability advocates, civic associations, and other stakeholders. This process started almost 20 months ago and has adopted best practice and safety requirements along the way.
“Councilmember Domb and his office have worked closely with PRLA, restaurants and bars throughout the city, and dozens of other stakeholders like our public utility companies to craft comprehensive legislation that provides a practical solution to continuing Philadelphia’s outdoor dining scene,” said Ben Fileccia, PRLA director of operations and strategy. “Studies have shown that the delta variant has dampened indoor dining for many and has changed consumer behavior, so permitting streeteries to continue in Philadelphia will be massively helpful to the industry on its path to full recovery.”
In addition, Councilmember Domb’s Office distributed a petition over the last three weeks that generated almost 1,200 signatures from individuals who support of permanent outdoor dining. Petitions were submitted from residents who represented almost every city zip code along with supporters who live outside the city but enjoy coming to Philadelphia for the dining and entertainment experience.
“For a long time, we’ve lacked vision on the kind of place we want Philadelphia to be – it’s time to change that,” said Councilmember Domb. “If we want to be an inclusive, exciting, fun and safe city – we need to build it with intention. Outdoor dining is an important step towards our broader goals to bring people here and keep them here well into the future.
“This is one way we can bring back demand for an urban lifestyle where you can be at the heart of what’s interesting, new and exciting.”
The bills’ co-sponsors are Councilmembers Cherelle Parker, Kenyatta Johnson, Bobby Henon, Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Derek Green, and Kendra Brooks.
