Roadway dining sheds were a COVID-era lifeline to restaurants, and to some diners they’ve been a nice way to enjoy a meal.

“It’s really fun during the summer,” Marisol Guzman said. “Especially around this street. It’s really cute, sitting around, dining.”

But to others, especially those who live near them, they’ve become a nuisance.

“I call them shanties. They’re gross,” David Rubianes said. “They’ve been gross for a long time. It’s about time. You have a lot of water that collects and rat hotels underneath. It’s terrible.”

After Friday, there will be a four-month reprieve as the outdoor dining setups must come down as part of a new city program. The new rules allow for four different style dining setups that can operate from April 1 to Nov. 29.

The restaurants must now apply for permits, and structures must meet certain criteria, including:

• They cannot go beyond the frontage of their restaurants

• The floor panels must be able to be moved so they can be cleaned under

• They cannot be fully enclosed, so drivers and pedestrians can see through them

• They must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, among other regulations

On Orchard and Broome Streets, Sunday to Sunday was an early adopter of one of the four prototype setups, with barriers filled with either water or sand to keep rats out. It was already taken down, but won the approval of neighbors. However, some are still wary of the program.

“I don’t trust the city as far as I can throw them,” Rubianes said. “But we’ll see.”

Others say they need regulation, but worry that it could hurt some restaurants.

“I think it’s going to be too expensive for most businesses to follow the new rules,” Denise Mishiwiec said. “I think they’re great if they’re good, but the city has to monitor that, so I guess this is where we are.”

Under the program, sidewalk cafes that are licensed can remain, but with regulations.

The city has resources for restaurants, like help on where to store the sheds or where to buy kits for the setups here.