May 3, 2021 4 min read

As part of the efforts to contain the Covid-19 pandemic while the economy reactivates, the Secretariat of Economic Development of Mexico City (Sedeco) announced that on May 7 it will start the registration for restaurant owners to join. to the ‘Open Air City’ program. This will allow them to place fixed structures and removable furniture on public roads as long as they comply with the measures indicated in the plan.

On April 30, José Merino , head of the Digital Agency for Public Innovation ( ADIP ), confirmed that the program is here to stay in the Mexican capital. He indicated that before the start of the rainy season , it is important that establishments have furniture so that diners can eat outdoors without being exposed to the weather.

For his part, Fadlala Akabani Hneide , head of Sedeco , indicated that the ‘Open Air City’ program   it has made it possible “to combine public health with economic reactivation, in a sector that accumulates, according to data from the National Statistical Directory of Economic Units (DENUE), a total of 44,159 establishments in the city .”

“Currently we have a total of 25 thousand 672 establishments with the business of restaurants, which have already made their opening notice in SIAPEM, which can be immediate beneficiaries of the program just by downloading their permission to place appliances in the same system” the official.

Thanks to the commitment of citizens, hospitalizations and infections continue to decline.

Next week we will continue at an orange traffic light towards yellow.

In addition, the Open Air City Program will be applied permanently: https://t.co/PMmowotz4A pic.twitter.com/UzrgYYC38X

– CDMX Government (@GobCDMX) April 30, 2021

The ADIP reported 18 thousand establishments with space to place belongings on terraces and public roads . With the permanence of the ‘Open Air City’ program, this figure is expected to increase by at least 25 thousand businesses .

Restaurateurs will be able to register as of Friday, May 7 on the official website of the Electronic System of Notices and Permits of Mercantile Companies : www.siapem.cdmx.gob.mx

This is how open-air restaurants will operate

As of May 15, the establishments that register will be able to place removable equipment on public roads and install fixed structures such as light awnings on sidewalks, platforms, fixed barriers or protection signage in the case of equipment in a parking strip over vehicular stream.

The premises must also guarantee the protection of the client with physical and signage barriers . On sidewalks they must leave a free space for the pedestrian crossing of at least one meter wide.

Prepared food businesses should also follow the following measures:

• The number of outdoor tables may not exceed 75% of the tables available inside the store.
• The tables must maintain a distance of 1.5 meters between each one.
• You will not be able to smoke indoors, while outdoors you must assign an exclusive place for those who want to do so.
• The restaurants will be able to offer service until 11:00 pm outside and at 10:00 pm indoors.

In addition, the tables must have a design and colors that adjust to those of the business and the urban image of the neighborhood, town or neighborhood. In the case of the Historic Center , the colors may be: navy blue, forest green, brown, terracotta and wine, as indicated in the Citizen Manual for the care of the Historic Center. In Historical Monuments or adjacent, establishments must have the authorization of the INAH.