It goes without saying that 2020 has been a hard year for so many Americans, but particularly for those in the restaurant industry here in Buffalo. This week, nearly 100 restaurants across Western New York celebrated their landmark victory in court against the state, as Judge Henry Nowak ruled that “this court cannot find evidence that the State had a rational basis to designate portions of Erie County as an Orange Zone on November 18, 2020”. HoganWillig Attorneys at Law and restaurants involved in the suit were able to demonstrate unequivocally “that the Orange Zone designation has caused loss of revenue, unemployment, potential foreclosure, and hardship upon Erie County residents”.

Hardworking restaurant owners and employees of the hospitality industry are excited to get back to work here in Buffalo! What a better way to assist them in recouping a small portion of the revenue lost over the last few months, than to allow them to stay open past 10pm during the playoff games. Ecstatic Bills fans across the county and the state, are eager to watch the entirety of this historic moment as the Buffalo Bills continue to power through the playoffs. Evening games pose a challenge for restaurants that are still under strict “yellow zone” orders that force their closure promptly at 10pm. Their inability to service fans for the entirety of the game will inevitably force fans to forgo watching games at local restaurants, again resulting in lost revenue for Buffalo’s food service industry.

This is an exciting moment for New York’s team and restaurants have proven in court that patrons can enjoy the game safely under the numerous state mandated precautions they have dutifully implemented. The alternative involves fans gathering in homes, where social distancing is not taking place, and where contract tracing data has shown the majority of community spread is occurring. Restaurants can be a solution, a place to safely enjoy a game 25 years in the making!

A bright spot for all Bills fans across Western New York, after a particularly difficult year!

Let our voices be heard because Together We Can Make This Happen!