West Village restaurant blames congestion pricing for rising costs, falling traffic

Yahoo

08-04-2025

The Brief
A restaurant in the West Village says congestion pricing is driving up supplier delivery fees, with some vendors adding $10 surcharges to offset the $9 toll for entering Manhattan below 60th Street.
Owner Christophe Caron warns the restaurant may not survive, citing thinner profit margins, fewer customers, and a post-pandemic recovery that hasn't returned to pre-COVID levels.
The MTA has defended the tolling program using OpenTable data showing a rise in Manhattan reservations, but critics argue the data doesn't reflect conditions specifically inside the congestion zone.
New York City's congestion pricing plan is here, and while it has received applause from many New Yorkers, some small business owners say it's already hurting their bottom line.
What we know
Delice & Sarrasin, a plant-based French restaurant on West Houston Street, is known for its vegan takes on classic French dishes like ratatouille and poulet basquaise. But owner Christophe Caron says running the restaurant has become significantly more expensive in recent months — and he blames congestion pricing.
Since January, drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours are charged a $9 congestion toll. As a result, Caron says some of his suppliers have started tacking on a $10 delivery fee per order to cover the added cost — a price hike that's now being passed down to his restaurant.
"In general at least a good 10 to 50 percent, depending on the ingredients" said Caron, who notes it's sometimes cheaper to shop at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's than to rely on suppliers.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Caron says the restaurant served about 80 customers each night. Now, it's often closer to 40. And as foot traffic and regular business decrease, fixed costs like rent, labor, and ingredients continue to climb.
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The NYC Hospitality Alliance tells FOX 5 that Caron is far from alone. In a statement, the group said: "Some restaurants are seeing fewer customers since congestion pricing began—but even more say vendors are raising prices or adding fees. It's getting harder to stay open."
The other side
In response to these concerns, the MTA pointed to OpenTable data showing that overall seated diner reservations in New York City are actually up in 2025 compared to the same time last year. According to the data:
In January 2025, reservations were up 7% over January 2024.
In February, they were up 3% year over year.
In March, that increase climbed again to 7%.
But the OpenTable figures reflect the entire city — not specifically activity within the congestion zone, which covers Manhattan below 60th Street. It's unclear whether the restaurants inside that zone are seeing the same benefit, or whether gains uptown or in high-traffic tourist zones like Midtown are masking losses in smaller, local neighborhoods like the West Village.
The OpenTable data also doesn't account for whether diners are spending more or less per visit, how many restaurants have closed or downsized, or whether delivery/takeout traffic has shifted due to the new tolls.
What's next
The NYC Hospitality Alliance is calling for an immediate exemption from congestion pricing for all vehicles delivering essential goods to bars and restaurants — including produce, dry goods, and perishable ingredients.
"The cost of food has already gone up," said Caron. "Now they're making it harder to even get it to the kitchen."
The MTA has not indicated any plans to revise or expand exemptions in the current congestion pricing structure, but small business owners and advocacy groups say they plan to keep up the pressure.
For now, Caron says Delice & Sarrasin is staying open — but the future is far from guaranteed. "We've survived a lot, but this might be the thing that breaks us."
This story will be updated as more data becomes available or if the MTA responds with further policy adjustments.