What is Open in Illinois (Chicago, Naperville: home, layoffs, live)

[ChicagoMeO]

Hello! I sometimes go out to the northwest suburbs and look for a place to eat that is in-restaurant dining.. I have found so many varieties of what is ok.. that i don't know what to count on for stores, dining-in restaurants and bathrooms. While it is 90 degrees, i do not wish to eat outside and bake like i did today.


For example, Culvers is open with in-door dining, and bathrooms open. Popeyes in Naperville was open but you cannot dine in, but you have to take out but you can come back and use the bathroom. Arby's in the northwest suburbs - you can go in and get your food, but you cant dine in NOR use the bathroom. Burger King was totally closed and no bathrooms open.


I've been down Golf Road and saw some restaurants with tents outside and people were eating outside.


McDonalds in the city was open for in-restaurant dining but the guy asked me if i were going to order food and so i could use the bathroom. perhaps that is the same for suburbs, not sure since i didn't try one in the suburbs. One restaurant in Oak Brook had in-restaurant dining and bathrooms open.


so when you are on the road far from home in the suburbs, there is a need for those things. So what can we count on so that going far from home is not a scary experience? Would a restaurant like a diner be more likely to have all these things and fast foods are generally more strict?


I thought Illinois allowed in-restaurant dining but spaced apart. why is there so much inconsistency?

[fusillirob1983]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

Hello! I sometimes go out to the northwest suburbs and look for a place to eat that is in-restaurant dining.. I have found so many varieties of what is ok.. that i don't know what to count on for stores, dining-in restaurants and bathrooms. While it is 90 degrees, i do not wish to eat outside and bake like i did today.


For example, Culvers is open with in-door dining, and bathrooms open. Popeyes in Naperville was open but you cannot dine in, but you have to take out but you can come back and use the bathroom. Arby's in the northwest suburbs - you can go in and get your food, but you cant dine in NOR use the bathroom. Burger King was totally closed and no bathrooms open.


I've been down Golf Road and saw some restaurants with tents outside and people were eating outside.


McDonalds in the city was open for in-restaurant dining but the guy asked me if i were going to order food and so i could use the bathroom. perhaps that is the same for suburbs, not sure since i didn't try one in the suburbs. One restaurant in Oak Brook had in-restaurant dining and bathrooms open.


so when you are on the road far from home in the suburbs, there is a need for those things. So what can we count on so that going far from home is not a scary experience? Would a restaurant like a diner be more likely to have all these things and fast foods are generally more strict?


I thought Illinois allowed in-restaurant dining but spaced apart. why is there so much inconsistency?

I'd guess they're all in compliance with state guidelines but others may be more strict based on their municipality or the business's specific preferences.

[ChicagoMeO]

Originally Posted by fusillirob1983

I'd guess they're all in compliance with state guidelines but others may be more strict based on their municipality or the business's specific preferences.

It looks like restaurants "can" open but not mandated.


It is very inconsistent. not good if you don't live nearby where you can take your hot dinner home and enjoy. but for me its many miles and not good.

I am hoping someone can give me some clues about all this, but maybe i will have to look up each restaurant and fast food and see what their policy is.

[fusillirob1983]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

It looks like restaurants "can" open but not mandated.


It is very inconsistent. not good if you don't live nearby where you can take your hot dinner home and enjoy. but for me its many miles and not good.

I am hoping someone can give me some clues about all this, but maybe i will have to look up each restaurant and fast food and see what their policy is.

Probably just figure out where you want to eat and give them a call.

[JoePO]

Many of the fast food joints have "fixed-in-place" tables/booths - they can't move them around to achieve the proper distancing, so the only other option is to put signs on some fraction of them saying "Do not use" or something like that. But that might be subject to abuse by patrons, would need enforcement, etc., and they probably don't have "extra" staff to attend to that, esp if there's been layoffs due to COVID19. And since so many people who get food from these places either do drive through or pick up inside and then leave, they probably feel they're not missing much by not having any inside dining at all.

[ChicagoMeO]

Originally Posted by JoePO

Many of the fast food joints have "fixed-in-place" tables/booths - they can't move them around to achieve the proper distancing, so the only other option is to put signs on some fraction of them saying "Do not use" or something like that. But that might be subject to abuse by patrons, would need enforcement, etc., and they probably don't have "extra" staff to attend to that, esp if there's been layoffs due to COVID19. And since so many people who get food from these places either do drive through or pick up inside and then leave, they probably feel they're not missing much by not having any inside dining at all.

yes, they are lucky when they live close and take the food home, not good when you are 30 miles from home


I tried looking up each restaurant on the internet, and its a huge job. ugh. most seem to not have in-dining (fast foods).


Im thinking restaurants might be better chance of having all those amenities like i mentioned. (lol it really is an amenity when you can patronize the restaurant like we did last summer!)

[ToriaT]

Yes that is a big problem. There are plenty of restaurants and stores open but if you need a bathroom, my go to is McDonalds and I don't know that all are open for dine in and for bathroom use. It is a problem.

[Caglee]

I've found that most sit-down restaurants are open for in-door dining, and almost all fast-food style places are not open for in-door dining. Not sure why this is, I do miss dining in for a quick meal. Nowadays I eat almost exclusively in my car or take it home.

[ChicagoMeO]

Originally Posted by Caglee

I've found that most sit-down restaurants are open for in-door dining, and almost all fast-food style places are not open for in-door dining. Not sure why this is, I do miss dining in for a quick meal. Nowadays I eat almost exclusively in my car or take it home.

Culvers is open for in-restaurant dining - hint hint