The Cold Is Coming. Will New Yorkers Still Eat Outdoors?

Frigid weather, a new coronavirus variant and indoor service will put outdoor dining to the test this winter.

As soon as the first snowflakes fell in New York City on Monday, restaurateurs knew what was on the way.

Deborah Williamson, the owner of James, in the Prospect Heights area of Brooklyn, said that right now about 50 to 70 percent of her customers are choosing to eat outside. But by January and February, she predicted, “it’s going to be a whole different matter.”

“I’m kind of prepared for just about anything, and we’ll just kind of take it and do the best that we can as we move along. But I do think it’s going to be challenging,” Ms. Williamson said.