New Mitigations, IRA Working on Delivery Fee Cap, GrubHub Grants Available
Monday, November 9, 2020
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 7:30 p.m. on Monday, November 9. *** State Announces New Mitigations in Three Regions Earlier today, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced additional COVID-19 mitigation efforts that will be implemented in Region 5 (Southern Illinois), Region 7 (Will and Kankakee counties), and Region 8 (Kane and DuPage counties), beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11. These regions are seeing a test positivity rate that remains above 8 percent and continues to rise after more than 14-days under Tier 1 mitigations, which exceeds the threshold set for establishing additional mitigation measures under the state's Restore Illinois Resurgence Plan. Beginning November 11, Regions 5, 7, and 8 will face additional mitigations, such as a tighter gathering cap of 10 individuals rather than 25 and new table caps of six rather than 10 when eating out. Restaurants in all 11 regions of Illinois remain closed for indoor service due to mitigations. Click here to read the full announcement. The IRA continues to call on Governor Pritzker to update the state of Illinois mitigation plan to allow for limited indoor service at restaurants. We believe the restaurant industry is being unfairly targeted for mitigations. If you haven't already done so, join the 12,000+ people that have urged the state to change its mitigation plan. After you take a moment to send a message, share the link on social media so your industry colleagues - employees, suppliers, fellow operators, and more - can add their voice. Get Involved with the IRA's Voices of the Industry Campaign The IRA is soon launching a social media campaign focused on the devastating impact of the state's closure of indoor dining on front- and back-of-house employees across Illinois. We are asking restaurant employees to film short videos to explain what this latest shutdown means to them, their colleagues, and the communities they serve. We are seeking to capture a diverse range of voices for this project. Please contact Samantha Vitale if a member of your team would like to help. IRA Advocating for Cap on Fees Charged by Third Party Delivery Services on Restaurants The IRA continues to work with the Chicago City Council and Mayor Lightfoot on an ordinance that will temporarily cap the fees that third party delivery services can charge restaurants during the pandemic. Read more: GrubHub Announces $2 Million In Restaurant Support This Winter, Chicago Restaurants May Apply Earlier today, GrubHub and The Greg Hill Foundation's Restaurant Strong Fund announced the Restaurant Winterization Grant program, a new initiative to provide $10,000 grants to eligible independent restaurants. The program will be supported with a $2 million grant recommended from Grubhub Community Relief Fund (GCRF), a donor-advised fund created in March by Grubhub to support charitable organizations helping restaurants, drivers and those in need impacted by COVID-19. Starting November 9 through November 21, the Restaurant Strong Fund will accept grant applications from all restaurants located in Chicago, New York City, Boston or Philadelphia with five or fewer locations. The application period will close on November 21 and grants will be fully distributed to restaurants before the end of November. Chicago restaurants can learn more about the Restaurant Winterization Grant program and the full application process here. Click here to read more the full announcement. Services for Vulnerable Communities Available Through Illinois Access to Justice 
Illinois Access to Justice seeks to provide legal representation, resources, and education for those in vulnerable communities dealing with the devastating consequences of incarceration and family separation. Visit ILAccessToJustice.com for assistance. Kumiko Named to World's 50 Best Bars List 
Congratulations to IRA member Julia Momose and her team at Kumiko for its inclusion in The World's 50 Best Bars list, which has named the Japanese-inspired spot the 82nd best bar in the world. Click here to read more from TimeOut Chicago.
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