Help Make NYC Restaurants Safer for Families, Workers, and Youth

I grew up in New York City and love the energy that makes our neighborhoods feel alive. But lately, something has changed. In my local area — and in many parts of the city — I’ve seen how large groups of unsupervised teens inside restaurants during school hours or late evenings can quickly turn what should be a normal outing into a stressful or uncomfortable situation.

Restaurant workers shouldn’t have to manage crowd control instead of doing their jobs. Families shouldn’t feel uneasy taking their kids out for dinner. And teens themselves deserve safer, more supervised environments that help prevent situations from escalating.

This isn’t about blaming young people or shutting them out of public spaces. It’s about creating reasonable guardrails that protect everyone.

I’m asking New York City leaders to adopt a simple, fair citywide policy allowing restaurants to:

During school hours: require minors to be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or have a legitimate reason to be there (such as a lunch break, job, or school activity).
After 6:00 PM: require minors to be accompanied by a responsible adult.

This would not ban teens from restaurants. It would simply give businesses the ability to set clear supervision rules — the same way many places already do for safety.

A consistent policy across NYC would:

Help restaurant workers feel safer at work
Give families more peace of mind
Encourage school attendance and accountability
Prevent conflicts before they happen
Support young people by promoting safer, supervised outings

New York City thrives when our public spaces feel welcoming, safe, and respectful for everyone — including our youth.

If you believe restaurants should have the right to require adult supervision for minors during school hours and evenings, please sign and share this petition.

Let’s work together to keep NYC vibrant, safe, and strong for all of us.