Rain Procedures, President Signs PPP Fix Bill

The Illinois Restaurant Association continues to engage with local, state, and federal officials to help our employers and employees address concerns about COVID-19.

Please see the below resources and information for your business - updated as of 3:45 p.m. on Friday, June 5.

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Rain and Inclement Weather Procedures for Outdoor Dining

As rain is forecasted Friday evening in some areas of the state, restaurant operators should be advised that, per the state of Illinois Restore Illinois guidelines for outdoor dining:

• Customers should not be seated if inclement weather is forecasted

• In case of inclement weather or emergency while customers are outdoor dining, food should be packaged to-go and customers encouraged to leave.

Please refer to your local authorities for further guidance related to outdoor dining procedures in the case of rain or inclement weather.

Click here to check your local weather forecast from AccuWeather.

President Signs PPP Fix Bill, June 30 Deadline for New PPP Loans

Today, President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act - legislation that extends PPP deadlines and relaxes restrictions on how loans are used. Click here to read more from The Hill.

The legislation includes the following changes to the PPP program:

• Loans that can be used for a 24-week covered period (instead of 8 weeks)

• Eligibility for loan forgiveness – if at least 60% of the loan is used on payroll (instead of 75%.)

• Loan forgiveness will still be possible if full-time employees (FTEs) won’t return to work

• Five year loan-repayment terms for future PPP loans

• Payroll tax deferment restored

June 30 is the final day for those who have not previously received a PPP loan to be issued one. If you have not applied or been issued a PPP loan, you are encouraged to speak with your lender as soon as possible.

The IRA and National Restaurant Association were among the first to call for fixes to PPP to preserve our imperiled industry. 

We thank everyone for their engagement and advocacy on this issue. The PPP has been fixed for many, but our industry faces ongoing challenges and must stay engaged in Washington. We have advanced a number of initiatives, and we will seek your input on how policymakers can provide continued relief to restaurants in these uncertain times. 

Chicago CBD Restaurants Must Close at 8:00 p.m. Friday Night

The city of Chicago has announced that businesses located in the Central Business District must close at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 5. The city has determined this 8:00 p.m. curfew to ensure that diners and employees can travel home before the citywide 9:00 p.m. curfew.

The boundaries for 8:00 p.m. closures are as follows:

• Division Street from Lake Shore Drive to Halsted Street

• Halsted Street from Division Street to Milwaukee/Grand Avenue

• Milwaukee Avenue from Grand Avenue to Kinzie Street

• Canal Street from Kinzie Street to Cermak Road

• 26th Street from State Street to Lake Shore Drive

• Cermak Road from Canal Street to State Street

• State Street from Cermak Road to 26th Street

Please take action accordingly for your business.

The city's ongoing 9:00 p.m. curfew is still in effect citywide until further notice.

Restaurants and coffee shops are permitted to open for outdoor dining only with specific safety guidelines. Click here to review the FAQ on outdoor dining and sidewalk cafes. Click here to download the full Phase III outdoor dining guidelines for restaurants.

Restaurants must follow all outdoor dining regulations and social distancing measures - including six feet between tables - or risk enforcement action from the city of Chicago.

Planned Chicago Protests

Please be advised of the below protests planned in the city of Chicago over the weekend:

• Saturday, June 6, 11:00 a.m.: Humboldt Park Boathouse - 1301 N. Humboldt Drive. The group will assemble for their campaign, "Chicago March of Justice for George Floyd.” The group may attempt to march towards Daley Plaza.

• Saturday, June 6, 11:00 a.m.: 2100 S Michigan Ave. Group will be marching towards Millennium Park.

• Saturday, June 6, 2:00 to 9:00 p.m., Rally, Ohio Street Beach - 600 N. Lake Shore Drive. The group will assemble regarding their campaign "Storm Ohio Street Beach." 

Survey - Tell Us About Your Outdoor Dining Reopening Plans

The Illinois Restaurant Association is currently surveying restaurants around the state to determine the status of reopening outdoor dining during Phase III of Restore Illinois.

Please take two minutes to complete our survey to share your current plans and any challenges you are facing.

Click here to complete the survey.

Click here to review the state of Illinois Phase III outdoor dining guidance. Operators must also look to their local municipalities and health departments for further guidance. The city of Chicago's outdoor dining reopening guidance can be found here.

Sign up for CHIBIZ Emergency Alerts

BACP and the city of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management & Communications (OEMC) urge businesses to opt-in to receive targeted emergency alerts for the business community via CHIBIZ Emergency Alerts. If you are interested, please text “CHIBIZ” to 6-7-2-8-3 or visit chicago.gov/chibizalerts.

Once you have opted in to receive CHIBIZ Emergency Alerts, you will be directed to a website to complete a simple registration that will allow us to send an alert to businesses in targeted areas for severe weather, fire, medical emergency or public safety disturbance that may impact business operations.

Illinois Restaurant Promise - Download the Poster

In partnership with the IRA and health officials across the state, restaurant owners and operators make these commitments to earn this endorsement during the COVID-19 recovery period. 

When customers see this endorsement, they can be comfortable that the restaurant is taking all necessary steps to protect their employees and customers and is committed to playing a leadership role in protecting our communities.

Click here to download the poster for your establishments.

Updated Reopening Guidelines from National Restaurant Association

The ServSafe and National Restaurant Association teams have developed updated reopening guidance to assist and guide the work of state restaurant associations and state governments with their opening plans.

Click here to review the updated guidance and best practices. These guidelines should be referenced as a compliment to state of Illinois and local authorities' reopening guidance.