Wheeling eateries are offering outdoor dining as Illinois relaxes some of its COVID-19 restrictions. | Pixabay
Wheeling eateries are offering outdoor dining as Illinois relaxes some of its COVID-19 restrictions. | Pixabay
Approximately one-third of restaurants in Wheeling are now offering outdoor sit down dinging after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker gave the OK for restaurants to offer outdoor dining.
"So we had a few days before the May 29 opening to get ready," Wheeling Village Manager Jon Sfondlilis told the Daily Herald for its June 5 report. "We offered a packet of guidelines of what you could and couldn't do. Then we put out an application and asked for a simple hand drawing of what the restaurants wanted to do."
Of the town's 55 restaurants, 18 have opened outdoor dining, the Daily Herald reported.
"I've only heard positive responses from the general public and restaurants alike," Sfondilis told the Daily Herald. "We've had a number of restaurants reach out to us and express their appreciation for how quickly we set up a process and made it as streamlined as possible to get them up and running."
Many of the other 37 restaurants are still limited to delivery, carryout and curbside pickup, the Daily Herald reported. Some are waiting for more opportunities to dine outside before offering that service.
"It's simply a matter of overhead," Sfondilis told the Daily Herald. "Our larger restaurants seem to be doing well. We're looking forward to Phase 4. We know restaurants are hurting and they need business."
Alerts Sign-up