Following the coronavirus outbreak, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered commercial establishments like restaurants and cafes to be shut down. Actor Hugh Jackman, who owns the Laughing Man cafe put out a post announcing his establishment would be closed.

In a post on Instagram, Jackman wrote: "We have made the decision to temporarily close the Laughing Man cafe. We feel this is the best course of action to ensure the safety of our staff and community. We also feel it is the right thing for the larger community of NYC. We want to be a place of healthy interaction and not a potential danger to you."

He added: "While it pains us not to serve you person to person, we will look for other ways to serve you during this time. Let us take care of each other the best we can. We wish the whole world health, peace, patience and love."