New York state lawmakers have proposed a new bill, known as the Rest Stop Restaurant Act, that would require businesses along the New York State Thruway to stay open seven days a week. This would include the popular restaurant Chick-fil-A, which currently closes its doors on Sundays.
The proposed bill, put forth by Assemblyman Tony Simone (D), aims to accommodate travelers along the New York State Thruway, which spans approximately 570 miles across the state. Simone argues that it is “ridiculous” for a business to close on Sundays, one of the busiest travel days of the week.
“It’s Sunday, Christmas Eve … thousands of New Yorkers are traveling to their families to find restaurants at rest areas across the state,” said Assemblyman Simone, according to local news station WTEN. “The Thruways are meant to serve New York travelers first. I think it’s ridiculous that you’re able to close on Sunday, one of the busiest travel days of the week.”
This issue has also been raised in the past by central New York radio station WOUR, which questioned the logic of putting a closed-on-Sundays restaurant at a location frequented by travelers on the busiest day of the week. The popular restaurant is known for its policy of closing on Sundays to give its employees a day of rest, time with their families, or the opportunity to worship.
“Sunday is the biggest travel day of the week! People are coming back from weekend getaways. They’re hungry and need a quick bite on their way home. So they stop at a thruway rest stop, only to find that its anchor food option … isn’t even operating!” argued WOUR.
Assemblyman Simone also stated that the proposed bill is in the interest of the public good. “To find one of the restaurants closed on the Thruway is just not in the public good,” he claimed. However, a Thruway official told WTEN that Chick-fil-A is already under contract with the government agency as part of a 33-year deal. The $450 million project, which was built without any toll or tax dollars, makes it difficult to force the restaurant to abide by government-mandated operating hours.
Chick-fil-A is not the only business that would be affected by the proposed bill. It would also apply to any businesses providing food and beverage services on the Thruway, as well as the Port Authority in New York and New Jersey.
The Rest Stop Restaurant Act, if passed, could have significant implications for businesses along the Thruway and their employees. The bill would essentially force these businesses to stay open on Sundays, even if it goes against their beliefs and policies.
As the proposal continues to be debated, it remains to be seen whether the government has the authority to dictate the operating hours of private businesses. Many may argue that this would be a violation of business owners’ rights and could set a dangerous precedent for government control over private enterprises.