A Supreme Court judge blocked Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s sugary drinks ban earlier this week, so the mayor is now asking business owners to voluntarily stop serving sodas larger than 16 ounces.
Bloomberg said Tuesday that the city would appeal New York Supreme Court Judge Milton Tingling’s ruling that the large drinks ban was unconstitutional.
The ban would have prevented restaurants, theaters, sports stadiums and any venue that receives a letter grade from the city’s Health Department from selling sodas larger than 16 ounces.
Meanwhile, the mayor is asking business owners to voluntarily stop serving the large drinks. So far, one restaurant – Midtown Manhattan’s Lucky’s Restaurant – has agreed to Bloomberg’s suggestion.
The mayor dropped by the café on Tuesday to thank the owners for complying with his call.
“When our administration implemented calorie counts and worked to eliminate trans fats in restaurants, we were taken to court,” Bloomberg said. “But today, both reforms are recognized as models. Already, our proposal to limit the size of sugary beverages has changed the national conversation around obesity and we are confident that [Monday’s] court decision will be reversed on appeal.”
Bloomberg told NY 1 that he hoped more city eateries would follow the example of Lucky’s Restaurant.
Northeast Queens elected officials, including state Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, and Councilman Dan Halloran, R-Whitestone, praised Tingling’s decision.
Patch wants to ask business owners in the community: Would you voluntarily stop serving drinks larger than 16 ounces to your customers?
And, for Patch residents: Would you be upset if local eateries in Bayside, Douglaston or Little Neck stopped serving large-sized drinks? Post your comment in the section provided below.
