Midtown was at risk because its real-estate inventory consists mainly of offices and hotels — and hotels were devastated because tourists stayed home. The burger chain Sonic signed a lease for its first restaurant in the city, replacing a Pax Wholesome Foods location in Midtown. But Stephen Smittle, the chain’s senior vice president for operations, said some customers long for the way things were before the pandemic. “We used QR codes for guests to look at the menu as we tried to limit the contact of surfaces,” he said, “but the majority of our guests want to hold a real menu. Tonight will be the last time the sun sets at 7 p.m. or later in New York until March 13, notes New York Metro Weather.

Source: New York Times September 17, 2021 09:12 UTC