Chicago restaurants ask city leaders to expand dining capacity ahead of Valentine s Day weekend
Chicago restaurants ask city leaders to expand dining capacity ahead of Valentine’s Day weekend
With Valentine’s Day this weekend, restaurants struggling to keep their doors open are hoping the city will have a change of heart and increase indoor dining capacity.
CHICAGO - Chicago restaurants limping along over the past year are hoping to put some spring in their step.
But the timing has to be right. They are pushing for a bigger reopening and fast.
With Valentine’s Day this weekend, restaurants struggling to keep their doors open are hoping the city will have a change of heart and increase indoor dining capacity.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times file photo
Chicago restaurant owners hope to celebrate Valentine’s Day by opening their doors to more customers this weekend.
Members of the Chicago Restaurants Coalition called on Mayor Lori Lightfoot and all 50 aldermen to increase indoor dining capacity to 50% or impose a 50-person maximum by Feb. 12, just in time for the holiday. Roger Romanelli, the coalition’s coordinator, pointed to the city’s declining COVID-19 positivity rate, which has fallen by nearly 1.5% since partial indoor dining was restored two weeks ago.
“It’s critical to understand: Restaurants have lost millions and millions of dollars during the pandemic, but especially during the holiday season,” Romanelli said. “The COVID rate is down, we think the time is right. We think restaurants have earned this by working so hard.”
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Pompei has served the area since 1909.
In all the ups and downs of the Italian eatery s history, this time doesn t compare with other tough times, according to owner Ralph Davino. I ve never had it this bad at Pompei, and I took over in 1984, said Davino.
Davino stood with other restaurateurs, calling for some indoor dining to be restored.
They are urging city and state officials to make changes in COVID-19 policy so that thousands of Chicago restaurants can reopen January 29, partially indoors. It is now critical for Mayor Lightfoot and the aldermen to restore indoor dining to 20-percent capacity and help us keep our longtime employees on their jobs, said Mary Kay Tuzi, owner of Twin Anchors Restaurant & Tavern.