Mayor Warns Restaurants: Abide By Rules Or Get Shut Down

CHICAGO — Restaurants beware: Flouting the city’s social distancing restrictions will get you shutdown, Mayor Lori Lightfoot warned.

Bars and restaurants were allowed to reopen indoor dining with capacity limits last week.

At a Thursday news conference, Business Affairs and Consumer Protection commissioner Rosa Escareno said she has witnessed standing-room only crowds at rooftops, “packed bars as if we are not in a crisis” and lines lacking social distancing stretching outside restaurants.

“The time for education and awareness is over,” Escareno said.

Over the Independence Day holiday weekend, city inspectors will be on the lookout for scofflaw restaurants and issuing citations in a “task force” manner.

Lightfoot said she told hundreds of restaurant and bar owners on a conference call that the holiday weekend is a “make-or-break” moment, and their “financial fate” depends on them abiding by social-distancing rules. The mayor said some restauranteurs on the call complained that the city’s regulations are difficult to follow.

Lightfoot said she won’t accept any excuses as coronavirus cases spike around the country, including neighboring states. “Abide by the rules or, unfortunately, you’re gonna suffer the consequences,” she said. “And we’re not playing with this.”

Restaurants found with the most egregious violation of social distancing and occupancy standards can receive fines up to $10,000 per incident, and closed.

“We’re not gonna hesitate to shut you down,” Lightfoot said. “And if you’re shut down, you’re not coming back anytime soon.”