Molly Franklin
Associate Editor
Loyola University Chicago School of Law, JD 2022

It is clear that COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon. Cases today are skyrocketing and that means restrictions like we had at the beginning of this pandemic are likely to follow. Since March, Chicago has had an array of different orders and guidelines they have followed both from the City of Chicago and from Governor J.B. Pritzker. In May, Chicago announced the “Protecting Chicago” framework which set out five phases depending on COVID numbers to guide citizens on what re-opening Chicago would look like. With the warm weather behind us, what does this mean for the future of dining for the rest of 2020?

Looking back on this summer

The rules regarding outdoor dining have constantly been changing since restaurants opened earlier this summer. In May, Governor Pritzker released a state-wide plan for restaurants to follow. The plan provided guidelines such as having six feet between tables, checking employee’s temperatures before their shifts, waiters wearing face coverings, and providing hand sanitizer throughout the restaurant for customers. Today, these things are the new “normal” and it’s hard to remember what things were like before COVID. Chicago, an early COVID hotspot, took later than the rest of Illinois to open as many restaurants had to adapt to the new guidelines before opening their doors. On June 3, 2020 outdoor dining officially began in Chicago. Although restaurants could continue to provide takeout and delivery during March, April, and May, many restaurants were struggling as many still are. The summer business months were especially crucial to these restaurants if they were going to make it.

Following the opening of outdoor dining, restaurants began to open quick. On June 17, 2020 bars that did not serve food were now allowed to open for outdoor seating. Shortly after that, on June 19, 2020, the indoor dining and bar service guidelines were announced. On Friday June 26, 2020, things looked to be trending in the right direction for these businesses as Chicago’s Phase 4 began and restrictions were being lifted. Restaurants could now operate at 25% capacity indoors with a maximum of 50 people being seated in a restaurant.

Helping restaurants prepare

Chicago took some wonderful steps to help its restaurants accommodate the outdoor dining guidelines. In all different neighborhoods, streets were closed so that restaurants could expand their outdoor dining capacity. Many of the streets continued to stay closed for fall, and many are staying closed so that winter dining may continue. However, getting customers to continue to dine outside in the winter months has been partly up the individual restaurants.

To help prepare for the winter, Chicago announced a competition in August where there was a $5,000 cash prize for whoever came up with the best outdoor dining solution. The goal was for citizens to come up with ideas that would be safe for both workers and patrons to continue the dining during the cold months ahead. In October, three winners were announced. Chicago also announced a $500,000 grant program to help these restaurants fund their efforts to continue outdoor dining throughout the winter months.

The fall’s restrictions

While summer was a better time for Chicago and COVID, things did not go back to normal in the fall as people hoped. Chicago public schools began the school year remote, colleges continued online education, and companies continued to work remotely from home. On October 1, 2020 Chicago seemed to be headed towards better days as looser restrictions were announced. Restaurants could now seat 40% capacity indoors, bars not serving food could not operate at 25% capacity, and liquor could be sold at restaurant and bars until 1:00 a.m.

However, these loose restrictions were very short-lived, as the COVID cases in October were only rising. Restaurants and bars now had to be closed by 10:00 p.m., bars that were not serving food could not serve customers indoors, and all alcohol had to be sold before 9:00 p.m. A week later on October 30, 2020 Chicago announced that indoor dining was officially over, to stop the spread of COVID.

It’s hard to say what the winter months will look like for Chicago. With the snow beginning to come, will these restaurants be able to adapt and continue serving customers? Will they make it? Nobody knows what is to come, but Chicago certainly has been doing what it can to help these restaurants survive while keeping workers and customers safe.

It is clear that COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon. Cases today are skyrocketing and that means restrictions like we had at the beginning of this pandemic are likely to follow. Since March, Chicago has had an array of different orders and guidelines they have followed both from the City of Chicago and from Governor J.B. Pritzker. In May, Chicago announced the “Protecting Chicago” framework which set out five phases depending on COVID numbers to guide citizens on what re-opening Chicago would look like. With the warm weather behind us, what does this mean for the future of dining for the rest of 2020?

Looking back on this summer

The rules regarding outdoor dining have constantly been changing since restaurants opened earlier this summer. In May, Governor Pritzker released a state-wide plan for restaurants to follow. The plan provided guidelines such as having six feet between tables, checking employee’s temperatures before their shifts, waiters wearing face coverings, and providing hand sanitizer throughout the restaurant for customers. Today, these things are the new “normal” and it’s hard to remember what things were like before COVID. Chicago, an early COVID hotspot, took later than the rest of Illinois to open as many restaurants had to adapt to the new guidelines before opening their doors. On June 3, 2020 outdoor dining officially began in Chicago. Although restaurants could continue to provide takeout and delivery during March, April, and May, many restaurants were struggling as many still are. The summer business months were especially crucial to these restaurants if they were going to make it.

Following the opening of outdoor dining, restaurants began to open quick. On June 17, 2020 bars that did not serve food were now allowed to open for outdoor seating. Shortly after that, on June 19, 2020, the indoor dining and bar service guidelines were announced. On Friday June 26, 2020, things looked to be trending in the right direction for these businesses as Chicago’s Phase 4 began and restrictions were being lifted. Restaurants could now operate at 25% capacity indoors with a maximum of 50 people being seated in a restaurant.

Helping restaurants prepare

Chicago took some wonderful steps to help its restaurants accommodate the outdoor dining guidelines. In all different neighborhoods, streets were closed so that restaurants could expand their outdoor dining capacity. Many of the streets continued to stay closed for fall, and many are staying closed so that winter dining may continue. However, getting customers to continue to dine outside in the winter months has been partly up the individual restaurants.

To help prepare for the winter, Chicago announced a competition in August where there was a $5,000 cash prize for whoever came up with the best outdoor dining solution. The goal was for citizens to come up with ideas that would be safe for both workers and patrons to continue the dining during the cold months ahead. In October, three winners were announced. Chicago also announced a $500,000 grant program to help these restaurants fund their efforts to continue outdoor dining throughout the winter months.

The fall’s restrictions

While summer was a better time for Chicago and COVID, things did not go back to normal in the fall as people hoped. Chicago public schools began the school year remote, colleges continued online education, and companies continued to work remotely from home. On October 1, 2020 Chicago seemed to be headed towards better days as looser restrictions were announced. Restaurants could now seat 40% capacity indoors, bars not serving food could not operate at 25% capacity, and liquor could be sold at restaurant and bars until 1:00 a.m.

However, these loose restrictions were very short-lived, as the COVID cases in October were only rising. Restaurants and bars now had to be closed by 10:00 p.m., bars that were not serving food could not serve customers indoors, and all alcohol had to be sold before 9:00 p.m. A week later on October 30, 2020 Chicago announced that indoor dining was officially over, to stop the spread of COVID.

It’s hard to say what the winter months will look like for Chicago. With the snow beginning to come, will these restaurants be able to adapt and continue serving customers? Will they make it? Nobody knows what is to come, but Chicago certainly has been doing what it can to help these restaurants survive while keeping workers and customers safe.