Help Restaurants Stay Open, Take Action on Social, Lake/McHenry in Mitigation

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 7:55 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28.

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Keep the Pressure On and Help Restaurants Stay Open - Lake/McHenry Counties Move into Mitigation

This morning, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced COVID-19 resurgence mitigations will be implemented in Region 9, Lake and McHenry counties, beginning at 12:01 am on Saturday, October 31. Starting this Saturday, indoor service at Lake/McHenry County restaurants is being suspended. Click here to read the full announcement.

The IRA continues to actively fight to keep restaurants in every region of Illinois open for indoor service. We are also exploring all possible legal remedies. Furthermore, we are fiercely advocating for enhanced financial relief for restaurants at the local, state, and federal levels.

While all regions are seeing an increase in positivity rates, Region 9 has experienced sustained increases in both positivity and hospitalization rates. The region is currently seeing an 8.4 percent positivity average, an increase from 4.8 percent in September and from 3.1% percent in June. COVID-related hospital admissions have also surged, now three times as high as September and five times as high as June.

As of today, including Region 9, a total of eight of the state's 11 regions have triggered one of the state's metrics for mitigation.

We need you to send a message to Governor Pritzker to urge the state modify the Restore Illinois mitigation plan to allow for continued indoor service at restaurants.

By using the IRA's Phone2Action campaign, you can customize the letter you send to the Governor. Whether you are a restaurant operator, industry supplier, employee, or a concerned citizen, you can help our efforts!

Hashtag Campaign: #FightForIllinoisRestaurants

The IRA is launching a hashtag campaign on social media TONIGHT. Please join us by posting the below graphic on your social media channels, with this suggested caption:

"Gov. Pritzker’s mitigation plan is a death sentence for restaurants. 5,600+ have signed a letter demanding he give our industry a chance to survive. Add your name at the link. We stand united in the fight of our lives. #FightForIllinoisRestaurants LINK: http://bit.ly/FightForIllinoisRestaurants"

Please tag the IRA and we will share:

On Instagram and Facebook: @illinoisrestaurants

On Twitter: @illinirestassoc

Read the latest on the IRA's advocacy efforts:

• Crain's Chicago - Restaurants push back on COVID crackdown

• ABC 7 - Illinois Restaurant Association threatens legal action over new COVID-19 rules

• Eater Chicago - Chicago Reckons With Latest Indoor Dining Ban

• Chicago Sun-Times - Send it back to the chef? Lightfoot wants Pritzker to rethink looming Chicago restaurant crackdown

• Chicago Tribune - Pritzker orders tougher restrictions for Chicago starting Friday. Lightfoot says she’ll try to change his mind.

• WAND - Illinois Restaurant Association seeks government assistance for businesses

• NBC 5 - Business Owners React With Anger, Sadness After Chicago Coronavirus Restrictions Announced

• Reason - A New Round of COVID-19 Restrictions Drives Illinois Eateries to Rebellion

• WGN 9 - North suburbs pass state’s COVID-19 ‘failsafe’ level, most of Illinois under added restrictions

• TimeOut Chicago - Restaurants react to Chicago’s indoor dining ban