Thread by @chicagobars

ICYMI yesterday @GovPritzker following his long announced @IDPH Covid metrics ordered indoor service at Chicago taverns and restaurants effective Friday.

Here's a thread of all the changes Chicago hospitality has coped with since May. news.wttw.com/2020/10/27/ind…

April 9, 2020 @ChicagosMayor announces 9pm alcohol sales curfew for every tavern or restaurant liquor licensed businesses due to some liquor store problems.

chicago.gov/content/dam/ci…

May 20, 2020 @GovPritzker announces Restore Illinois Phase 3 allowing outdoor dining and drink service will start May 28th. Governor's order does not distinguish between taverns and restaurants allowing both to operate.

www2.illinois.gov/dceo/Media/Pre…

Under Illinois home rule municipality law, many cities including Chicago may enact STRICTER emergency restrictions on businesses during the pandemic than those issued by the State.

For the entirety of this summer, the City of Chicago will do exactly that.

May 28th,2020 - @ChicagosMayor announces Chicago's own Phase 3 will allow restaurants and bars with retail food licenses to open for outdoor dining on June 3rd.

Chicago's over 400+ traditional taverns are not included in her reopening order. chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

May 30th - June 1 widespread rioting and looting lead to city wide curfew in Chicago. Illinois National Guard activated to maintain perimeter around Central Business District.

June 3, 2020 @ChicagosMayor allows outdoor dining to begin with social distancing of groups and amends the liquor sales curfew to 11pm for restaurants and bars with retail food licenses.

Traditional Chicago taverns still SOL. chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

June 4, 2020 (approximately) City of @Chicago announces that while the beaches and Lakefront Path and traditional taverns remain closed @NavyPier will soon be allowed to open.

Area man may, or many not, have lost his shit on Twitter. navypier.org/media-and-pr/n…

June 17th @ChicagosMayor allows traditional taverns to open for outdoor service (if they have their own licensed beer garden. Decades long City ban on sidewalk cafe permits for taverns is still in place). chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

June 22nd, 2020 @GovPritzker announces Restore Illinois Phase IV will begin. Indoor dining allowed at restaurants and taverns. State allows all indoor seating a venue can accommodate with safe socially distanced seating. No state alcohol sales curfew.

www2.illinois.gov/dceo/Media/Pre…

June 26th City of @Chicago allows indoor service at all restaurants and taverns albeit with stricter limits - 25% of posted indoor occupancy with a maximum of 50 people.

This is MUCH more restrictive for large (over 200 ppl) venues than State Phase 4. chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

The liquor sales curfew in the City of Chicago remains at 11pm for taverns and restaurants during all these changes. Most Cook County suburbs are allowing substantially later hours of service.

July 20, 2020 @ChicagosMayor and @ChiPublicHealth order indoor service at traditional taverns (no food license) must be discontinued.

Note there is NO, and never was, requirement places with retail food licenses actually had to serve meals with drinks.

blockclubchicago.org/2020/07/20/no-…

July 31, 11 days after closing indoor service at traditional taverns City of @Chicago rolls out guidelines allowing them to obtain sidewalk cafe or outdoor street service permits.

Indoor for City restaurants still capped at 25% with 50 ppl max. chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

August 1st, 2020 - At this point almost entire rest of Illinois outside Chicago still operating with much more flexible State Phase IV - all the tables you can safely socially distance - indoor capacity limits.

Also traditional taverns in rest of state remain open for indoor.

August 10th, 2020 - Another round of looting and aggravated mayhem in Chicago. Downtown bridges go up again. No National Guard deployed this round.

August 15 - October 1 there are no major changes for Chicago's hospitality businesses. 11pm liquor sales curfew remains, as does 25% 50ppl max indoor capacity restriction.

Most Cook County suburbs allowing later sales, more indoor service under state guidelines.

Oct 1st: After 3 months of more restrictions than most of rest of state @Chicago announces:
Indoor service at taverns may resume (25% max)
Indoor capacity at restaurants lifted to 40% of occupancy allowed, still 50 ppl max.
Liquor sales curfew goes to 1am. chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

Oct 19: @Chicago presser on higher Covid rates "Bars and restaurants have “by and large done a very good job” of following the city’s health rules, Arwady said/... “where we are seeing spread is not the places that we regulate as a city, by and large.”

blockclubchicago.org/2020/10/20/bar…

Oct 23: @ChicagosMayor and @ChiPubHealth issue Emergency Order banning, ONCE AGAIN, indoor service at traditional taverns. Imposes new 9pm liquor sales curfew but leaves higher 40% indoor occupancy at liquor licensees with kitchens intact. chicago.gov/content/dam/ci…

Note that during this entire summer Restore Illinois Phase 3 and Phase 4 guidelines never distinguished between restaurants, bars, and traditional taverns regardless of food service.

At all times State of Illinois had higher indoor occupancy limits for all of above as well.

October 25th @GovPritzker announces ban on indoor dining for suburban Cook County bars and restaurants due to Covid case metrics exceeding long announced @IDPH metrics.

Oct 26th @GovPritzker relying on largely same climbing metrics that led to indoor closure in suburbs also orders Chicago indoor service discontinued effective Fri 10/29

Mitigation order allows later food and alcohol service than @ChicagosMayor controlling 10/23 9pm sales curfew

The @GovPritzker order is at the link below.

www2.illinois.gov/Pages/news-ite…

Then? Things got really even weirder.

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