Chicago Bars Must Close Indoor Service, Restaurants Limited to Six Per Table

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 1:00 p.m. on Monday, July 20.

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Chicago Bars Must Close for Indoor Service, Restaurants Limited to Six Per Table, Effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 24

This morning, Mayor Lightfoot, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) announced a re-tightening of COVID-19 restrictions for bars, restaurants, gyms and personal services as a precautionary move in response to a recent increase in community cases of the virus.

The reinstatement of certain restrictions will go into effect Friday, July 24 at 12:01 a.m., in order to allow businesses time to prepare. Restrictions related to restaurants and bars include:

• Restaurants that serve alcohol will be allowed to continue to operate for indoor service as long as they abide by ongoing COVID-19 guidance and existing regulations.

• Current capacity restrictions remain in place for all restaurants - 25% occupancy per room - or 50 people per room (whichever is fewer).

• Maximum party size and table occupancy at restaurants, bars, taverns and breweries will be reduced to six people.

• All table seatings for indoor service, outdoor service, and private venues are limited to six people per table.

• Bars, taverns, breweries and other establishments that serve alcohol for on-site consumption without a Retail Food license will no longer be able to serve customers indoors.

• Establishments without food may still provide outdoor service as they did under Phase III.

Click here to read the announcement.

Click here to review the current Phase IV guidelines for restaurants in the city of Chicago.

BACP will be hosting a series of webinars this week to prepare business owners for this new guidance. Click here to register for a webinar for all business types Tuesday, July 21 at 2:00 p.m. Click here to register for a webinar for restaurants and bars Tuesday, July 21 at 4:00 p.m.

The IRA remains committed to ensuring that restaurants and bars in Chicago and throughout Illinois remain on a safe and steady path to reopening.

It is imperative that all operators, employees, and guests continue to adhere to the guidelines established by leading public health experts. Proper social distancing, wearing masks, proper PPE, and more are all critical to keep restaurants and bars open.

Click here to download the Illinois Restaurant Promise for your establishments today. Click here to share the IRA's "Covered Faces Keep Open Places" graphic on social media.

Send a Message to Congress - Pass the Blueprint for Revival

Later this month, Congress will consider their final coronavirus response bill for 2020. From the beginning of this pandemic, the IRA and National Restaurant Association have led the charge for a comprehensive solution for our industry. We have made steady progress, but Congress needs to do much more for the nation’s second-largest private-sector employer.

By the thousands, you responded to our survey identifying the priorities you need for this industry. By a 50/50 tie vote, you identified a $120 billion recovery fund and a second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding as the top goal we should pursue in our advocacy agenda. We are strongly supporting the RESTAURANTS Act - a $120 billion restaurant recovery fund - proposed by Senators Wicker and Sinema in the Senate. 

We heard you – and we are proud to release our new Blueprint for Revival for the industry. It represents a strong, far-reaching plan for how Congress can advance restaurants in every city and town in this country.

Click here to read the complete Blueprint. Click here to read a two page summary.

Tell Illinois' Congressional leaders to support restaurants and employees by passing the Blueprint for Restaurant Revival.

Please take one minute to share your story and lend your voice to this campaign. Every voice counts.