indoor dining

A Michigan mandate that has forced dine-in restaurants and bars to close for the second time this year is getting a mixed response from industry leaders that worry the move could hurt businesses.

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...

The owner of a steakhouse in west suburban Geneva said he will keep fighting the state of Illinois so he can serve customers indoors as restaurants and bars face tough mitigations designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a new initiative on Thursday aimed at supporting bars and restaurants as indoor dining has once again been halted amid a surge of coronavirus cases across the city and state. ‘Take Out Chicago’ was designed to help boost the struggling hospitality industry by offering residents who order take out from 10 different bars and restaurants…

During an Oct. 23 coronavirus update, IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike broke down in tears when revealing the state’s death toll due to the virus.

As colder weather approaches, Illinois’ top doctor said on Friday that dining inside a tend is considered the same as inside a restaurant.

As winter nears, struggling restaurants in Chicago are taking new measures to lure back customers who feel uneasy about returning for indoor dining. At Formento’s, an Italian restaurant in the West Loop neighborhood, owners have invested thousands of dollars into new technology they hope will make diners feel safer. “We’re really adjusting our strategies to encourage people to know...

Chicago is heightening some of its restrictions once more in an effort to slow a rise in cases in the city and those measures include shutting down indoor bar service.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday that he “will not hesitate” to bring back regulations previously put in place to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus across the state, including closing bars and indoor dining at restaurants, should health officials find it necessary.

A pop-up restaurant from the group behind Chicago’s most awarded restaurant became the latest to temporarily close its doors after a staffer tested positive for coronavirus. Acclaimed chef Grant Achatz announced Saturday that the Alinea in Residence rooftop pop-up was closed Friday after an employee tested positive for coronavirus. “The employee had not worked in days due to scheduling...

How risky is dining out during the COVID-19 pandemic? There is some risk, but health officials say there are precautions you can take to minimize the chances you’ll be exposed to the virus. Ordering takeout or delivery is still the safest option for getting restaurant food, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you decide...

Another Chicago restaurant on the city’s North Side has temporarily closed after announcing an employee tested positive for coronavirus over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Replay Beer & Bourbon in the city’s Andersonville neighborhood said a member of their waitstaff notified them Saturday night that they had tested positive for the virus despite showing no symptoms. The employee...

We asked infection prevention experts from Northwestern Medicine to weigh in on some questions. These answers are from nurse Heather Voss, a program director of epidemiology and infection prevention at Northwestern Medicine, as well as her colleagues in infection prevention and infectious disease specialist Dr. Irfan Hafiz.

We asked infection prevention experts from Northwestern Medicine to weigh in on some questions.

Two Chicago restaurants have closed their doors following coronavirus exposure as dining resumed in limited fashion in the city during the pandemic. Fork in the city’s Lincoln Square neighborhood became the latest to shut its doors temporarily, announcing Monday that the restaurant “had exposure to Covid-19.” “The safety of our guests and staff is our top priority so out...

As the state of Illinois moved to phase four of its reopening plan Friday, many businesses were able to welcome back customers. NBC 5’s Lexi Sutter reports.

Be prepared for changes at your favorite small businesses as phase four of Illinois’ reopening plan goes into effect later this week. NBC 5’s Kate Chappell reports.

Starting next Friday, restaurants across Chicago will be able to open for indoor dining with some restrictions. NBC 5’s Trina Orlando reports.