Andrew Yang Kicks Off Five Borough Recovery Week, Calls for Allowing Gyms to Expand Capacity Safely and Joins Black Business Owners in Calling for Food Delivery Apps to Share Data with Restaurants

Said Andrew Yang, “Today, I spoke with small business owners about bringing back the parts of New York that make us feel better: working out, eating out, and doing so with friends and family. Their message was clear: New York’s small businesses — particularly those owned by people of color — didn’t get their fair share. I will fight and fight and fight to change that.”

Restaurant Recovery Discussion at Black- and Woman-Owned The Crabby Shack

Yang met with The Crabby Shack co-owners Gwen Woods and Fifi Bell-Clanton, joining them in calling on third party food service delivery companies, including Seamless and Doordash, to give the restaurants they work with ownership over data generated by that restaurant.

Said Andrew Yang, “Apps like Seamless and Doordash should be working for restaurants, not the other way around. Small businesses like Crabby Shack are being crushed by exorbitant fees — some adding up to well over 30% — and have very little leverage with the delivery apps they rely on to make money. A big part of that is because if they decide to no longer use one particular delivery app, they lose access to the customer base they’ve spent years building. As Mayor, not only am I going to make the 20% cap on delivery fees permanent, but we’re also going to put a law on the books requiring these companies to give restaurants ownership of their customer data and analytics. By giving business owners power over their customer base, we’d be giving them an invaluable tool to control their own fate.”

Yang released the first of his restaurant recovery plans earlier this month.

Meeting with Black Small Business Owners in Brooklyn

Andrew also met with Chris Sainsbury and Maillard Howell, co-owners of Dean Crossfit, one of only two-Black owned crossfit gyms in New York City. Dean Crossfit has remained open as safety precautions have allowed throughout the pandemic, largely because of the community of neighbors and members that kept it going.

Said Dean Crossfit co-owners Chris Sainsbury and Maillard Howell, “We’re glad to hear that Andrew recognizes gyms as vital centers for mental and physical health in our communities and will be an advocate for small businesses in the fitness space.”

With Chris and Maillard, Andrew discussed his plans to implement a data-driven approach to reopen gyms safely and enable new revenue streams for gym owners. Specifically, Yang called for permitting limited indoor classes, under appropriate health guidelines and advance sign-up tools, and bringing up gym capacity to the rest of the state with a timeline that increases capacity including metrics for reaching 50%, 75% and full capacity.

Neighborhood Walk with Edwin Raymond

Yang and New York City Council candidate Edwin Raymond, an NYPD lieutenant, whistleblower, and documentarian, visited Aunts et Uncles, the local CTown Supermarket and several other businesses in Crown Heights.

Said Edwin Raymond, “Andrew Yang and I both have big plans for transforming our City and moving beyond the tired old status quo that doesn’t work for working New Yorkers. I’m grateful he didn’t let a little snow stop him from coming to our community. Excited to work with him in City Hall to move New York and our small businesses forward.”