Operators of Illinois restaurants are preparing for outside dining that will be allowed starting Friday (May 29th, 2020) Under Phase 3 of the state’s five-phase reopening plan. But at the Beef House Restaurant near Covington, co-owner Bonnie Wright says business has already been picking up….
Audio Player{”Actually, business is really good. We have a lot of great customers,” said Wright. ”And we were getting a lot of people from Illinois because Illinois’ still not open yet.”}
And Wright added….
Audio Player{”If you went out and drive around the parking lot – almost all the (license) plates are Illinois. They’re just glad to get out. Everybody said ‘We’re just glad to get out, sit down and have a meal.’ And we sure appreciate them all coming,” added Wright.
Kim is a waitress at the Covered Bridge Restaurant in Eugene, Indiana.
She, too, has been noticing the Illinois residents who are crossing the border while Illinois is still shut down due to the pandemic….
Audio Player{”We’ve been really busy since we’ve opened-up for dine-in. And we don’t even ask them – they tell us – ‘Oh, we’re from Illinois.”’
Under the 5-phase plan introduced earlier by Governor J.B. Pritzker, there is no dining scheduled inside Illinois restaurants until the end of June. But those Illinois businesses may continue their carry-out services until then.
(Illinois Radio Network News assisted with this story.)
