‘It’s Not Enough:’ NJ Bar, Restaurant Owners React To Curfew Lift

MONMOUTH COUNTY - Under normal circumstances, bar and restaurant owners across New Jersey would be gearing up right now for one of the busiest weekends for sports fans: tuning all televisions, cleaning bar taps and preparing extra plates of chicken wings waiting to be devoured.

But during the coronavirus pandemic - even as restrictions on indoor dining begin to lift - owners and managers are hoping for an average Sunday turnout at best.

“A lot of people are probably going to be staying home, having house parties or something like that,” says Tom Jaspan, the owner of The Ivy League and The Chapter House, both in Howell. “I’m expecting a normal Sunday night. At this point, I hope it’s at least a normal Sunday night.”

Starting this week, bars and restaurants in the state won’t have to shut down at 10 p.m., as Gov. Phil Murphy originally mandated via an executive order in November. The governor also increased the indoor dining capacity limit from 25 percent to 35 percent this week.

Gov. Murphy previously stated that he has loosened dining restrictions due to a drop in COVID-19 cases and transmission rates. "I feel confident in signing this order because of the recent trends in our hospitals and our rate of transmission," said Murphy. "For instance, on Jan. 13 we reported 3,726 confirmed and suspected COVID cases in our hospitals. Today, three weeks later, we're reporting a decrease of about 20 percent from that number."

However, Jaspan says the slight changes are futile, arguing that bar seating - something that is still not permitted in New Jersey - is what will truly turn business around.

“Increasing 25 percent to 35 percent capacity did absolutely nothing for me. We can’t put in any more tables because they have to be six feet apart,” Jaspan said. “The 10 p.m. closing, it helps a little bit. We’re going to stay open later, because for restaurants, that allows you to get in at least one more round of seating. With a 10 p.m. curfew, you can only get in one or two seatings. But the thing that really kills us is not being able to sit at the bar. That’s why the Super Bowl is not going to be as big this year for bars. People want to sit at the bar.”

A representative from Fireside Grill & Bar in Marlboro agreed with Jaspan’s remarks, telling Patch that customers would have to leave in the middle of watching a sports event on more than one occasion after the clock struck 10 p.m.

“It’s a sports bar. How do you have Monday night football when everybody has to leave by 10 p.m.? You have to tell people to leave. It’s the law,” a representative from the establishment said.

When asked if the restaurant would be preparing extra food in anticipation of the Super Bowl, the rep told Patch that the unprecedented circumstances could cause business to “go either way.”

“Let’s hope we get to cook in larger quantities, we don’t know. This is the first time that we’re hoping for a crowd,” the rep said.

The Marlboro sports bar recalls a fair amount of outdoor clientele during the winter, with a back patio fully equipped with tents and heaters. However, following sub-zero January weather and a mammoth nor’easter that brought up to 16 inches of snow to some areas of Monmouth County, the management at Fireside Grill and Bar were forced to shut down outdoor operations two weeks ago.

According to Jaspan, outdoor dining simply isn’t feasible for his Howell businesses. Instead, he reports that takeout services like DoorDash have worked to moderate success.

“It’s too cold out,” Jaspan said. “A lot of places have removed their tents. Even places with big tents that are totally enclosed, they took them down. And you had to take them down because of the snow, too.”

But while the curfew lift and 35 percent capacity increase is a “start” according to Jaspan, he reports a long road ahead before restaurants can return to a sense of comfort. To the Howell-based owner, bar seating and table spacing are two restrictions that could make or break business.

“The curfew, it’s not enough, and going from 25 percent to 35 percent [capacity], to me that’s not enough either,” Jaspan said. “That’s just throwing our industry a bone to try to make us happy. 25 to 35 percent doesn’t mean a thing. Even to go to 50 percent, if I can’t sit people at the bar or put more tables in, that still doesn’t help … as long as tables are six feet apart.

“Right now, we’re just holding on,” Jaspan continued. “We’re taking it day by day and keeping it tight, payroll and inventory and everything else. You can’t afford not to.”