After a seven-year hiatus, the Staten Island Ferry resumed serving beer on Friday, marking a symbolic return to normalcy for New York commuters. The service, which carries over 16 million passengers annually, had been dry since 2019 when a vendor contract expired, followed by pandemic-related disruptions. The first beverage sold was Michelob Ultra, purchased by Jonathan Guash, a 26-year-old Staten Island native who had waited years for the chance to buy ferry beer.

The new vendor is a Dunkin' franchisee holding a 10-year lease, paying the city $27,000 monthly to operate the concession. This arrangement won't generate significant revenue for the heavily subsidized ferry service, which eliminated its 50-cent fare in 1997.