The original Morton’s The Steakhouse restaurant on State Street is closing its doors as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
In a statement, representatives from the Chicago dining staple blamed the coronavirus pandemic and indoor dining bans for its closing.
“Due to COVID-19 and the city’s repetitive elimination of dine-in services, we are deeply saddened to announce the closing of the original Morton’s The Steakhouse on State Street,” COO Tim Whitlock said in a statement. “We are grateful for the support of our community over the last 42 years."
Indoor dining has been off the table in Chicago since Oct. 30 and is the second of two shutdowns since the start of the pandemic.
Morton’s The Steakhouse closing comes as several Chicago restaurant owners have expressed frustration with the decision to shutdown indoor dining despite a surge in cases across Illinois.
The Near North Side Morton’s location opened in 1978 and has since expanded into 66 locations around the world.
Whitlock said they company will work on relocating employees immediately.
