Coronavirus Out-Of-Work Relief Fund Started For Local Bartenders

PLAINFIELD, IL — A GoFundMe page has been started for bartenders at the local Buffalo Wild Wings off of Route 59. Many of the restaurant's bartenders currently find themselves without work, or at the very least working at reduced hours, now that restaurants are restricted to curbside pick up service. A manager at the Buffalo Wild Wings - who asked to remain anonymous - told Patch that while some cashier hours are available, there is currently no need for bartenders in an eatery with no one at the bar.

"We don't have any bartenders that are staffed currently until [the Governor's executive order] is lifted," the manager said. "Right now they don't have hours... We've told them if they would like to come pick up cashier shifts, to come try to make any kind of hours if they would be able to, but most of them have looked elsewhere."

Finding work elsewhere is difficult for bartenders and servers, as every restaurant in the state is currently facing a similar situation to the one Buffalo Wild Wings is in. This is something the GoFundMe page's organizer, Ryan Richards, acknowledges.

"Shutting down Bars & Restaurants has affected some of our closest friends & family’s lives by putting them out of work with no pay," the GoFundMe description reads.

It is also not clear if Buffalo Wild Wings is providing any kind of paid leave or employment protection for its currently out-of-work workers. The manager Patch spoke to declined to comment on the issue, and the company itself did not respond to Patch's requests for comment by the time of publication. It seems that if the community wants to support its hospitality workers, it will have to do so directly.

"Any help is appreciated and will be divided amongst all of the Bartenders equally," the GoFundMe page reads. "Thank you in advance for any contribution you can make."

At time of publication, the fund had raised a little over $1,000, about a tenth of its stated $10,000 goal.

To keep on top of the latest coronavirus news, subscribe to Patch news alerts and newsletters. The latest updates on the coronavirus situation can be found on this page.