WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17
Cocktails to Go, Sidewalk Café Reform Ordinances Pass Chicago City Council
This afternoon, the Chicago City Council passed an ordinance will allow for the sale of cocktails to go from Chicago restaurants and bars. Additionally, the City Council passed an ordinance to remove regulatory burdens and provide financial relief to Chicago restaurants seeking to operate outdoors. Both ordinances are now in effect.

The sidewalk café reform ordinance includes the following provisions:

  1. 75% permit fee reduction
  2. Ability to extend sidewalk cafés in front of a neighboring property
  3. Expedited permit issuance process

Click here to read the full announcement.

BACP has released an updated FAQ on the process for obtaining a sidewalk café and applying for an extended sidewalk café permit.

Read more:

Governor Pritzker Announces Business Interruption Grants Program, $20M Available to Restaurants and Bars

Today, Governor J.B. Pritzker joined members of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucuses of the state legislature and small business owners to announce a $900 million package of state grant programs to support communities and businesses impacted by the pandemic and recent civil unrest. A new Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program has been created as a part of the package.

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will launch the first round of Business Interruption Grants (BIG) by providing $60 million to businesses experiencing losses or business interruption as a result of COVID-19 related closures.

  • The BIG Program is available for up to 3,500 businesses that experienced a limited ability to operate due to COVID-19 related closures.
  • DCEO will begin distributing funds to qualifying businesses in early July.
  • The total program funding will amount to at least $540 million in grants for small businesses, $270 of which has been set aside for childcare providers, and is funded by the CARES Act.
 
In the first wave of grants, priority will be given to small businesses that have been heavily restricted or completely shut down during the pandemic and are located in disproportionately impacted areas ( DIAs).

  • Businesses eligible for the program must have experienced extreme hardship, demonstrated by eligible costs or losses in excess of the grant amount, since March and may continue to face depressed revenues or closure.
  • Businesses must also have been in operation for at least three months prior to March 2020.
  • An emphasis will also be placed on those businesses that are located in areas that have experienced recent property damage due to civil unrest, exacerbating the economic impacts of COVID-19.
 
Specifically, the program includes support for:
  • Businesses in DIAs - $20 million for businesses that are located in a subset of DIAs that have recently experienced significant property damage, providing 1,000 grants of $20,000 each
  • Bars and Restaurants - $20 million for bars and restaurants unable to offer outside service, providing at least 1,000 grants of up to $20,000 each
  • Restaurants and bars with under $3 million in annual sales will be eligible to apply
  • Barbershops and Salons - $10 million for barbershops and salons, providing 1,000 grants of $10,000 each
  • Gyms and Fitness Centers - $10 million for gyms and fitness centers that have lost significant revenue due to COVID-19, providing 500 grants of $20,000 each
 
DCEO will make the application for BIG available on Monday, June 22.

Click here to the full announcement.
Free ServSafe Reopening Training Videos Available
The IRA is committed to helping you address information and training needs related to the coronavirus pandemic. ServSafe and the National Restaurant Association have prepared free training videos outlining the steps restaurant line level employees are encouraged to utilize in returning to full-service operations.

Watch the videos on demand below:

Restaurants Urge Treasury and SBA to Streamline PPP Forgiveness Approval

The National Restaurant Association, Illinois Restaurant Association, and 51 state restaurant association partners have issued a letter to the U.S. Treasury Department and Small Business Administration urging them to issue clear, streamlined guidance for small businesses and revise the loan forgiveness application so that it is a simple, one-page certification for any loan under $350,000.

Click here to read the letter.
Tomorrow - City of Chicago Webinar on Operating Outdoors - Options for Restaurants and Bars During Phase III
Join BACP tomorrow morning, Thursday, June 18 at 10:00 a.m., for an overview of all outdoor dining and drinking options during Phase III of Chicago’s Reopening Plan. This webinar will cover rules and guidelines for outdoor dining and drinking, including how to obtain a sidewalk café permit or the new Expanded Outdoor Dining Permit. 

This webinar is presented by the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE).

Click here  to register for the webinar. 

Please email  BACPoutreach@cityofchicago.org   with any webinar questions.
Reminder - Upcoming Minimum Wage and Tipped Wage Increases

On July 1, 2020, minimum wage and tipped wage increases go into effect for the state of Illinois, Cook County, and city of Chicago.

Please review the below rate increases and take action accordingly for your business.

State of Illinois
  • Current minimum wage - $9.25
  • Current tipped wage - $5.55
  • Minimum wage starting July 1, 2020 - $10.00
  • Tipped wage starting July 1, 2020 - $6.00

Click here  for more information on the state of Illinois' minimum wage law.

Cook County *
  • Current minimum wage - $12.00
  • Current tipped wage - $5.25
  • Minimum wage starting July 1, 2020 - $13.00
  • Tipped wage starting July 1, 2020 - $5.30

Click here  for more information on Cook County's minimum wage law.

* More than 100 municipalities within Cook County have opted out of Cook County's minimum wage ordinance. Please check with your local authorities to confirm whether or not this law applies to your business. If your municipality has opted out of Cook County's minimum wage ordinance, you must follow the state of Illinois' minimum wage law. Employers with tipped employees should take special note that they should pay the higher Illinois tipped wage of $6.00 per hour than the lower Cook County tipped wage of $5.30.

City of Chicago **
  • Current minimum wage - $13.00
  • Current tipped wage - $6.40
  • Minimum wage starting July 1, 2020 - $14.00
  • Tipped wage starting July 1, 2020 - $8.40

Click here  for more information on the city of Chicago's minimum wage law.

** Effective July 1, 2020, small employers (4-20 employees) in the city of Chicago are required to pay employees a minimum wage of $13.50 and a tipped wage of $8.10.
Updated Impact of COVID-19 on Restaurants
The latest statistics on the impact of COVID-19 on the restaurant industry are now available.

In May, the industry had another revenue shortfall of $40B, which brought losses March-May to $120B. The industry is still on track to lose $240B by the end of the year.

At the height of the pandemic shutdown, more than 8 million employees were furloughed or laid off. While there is some movement to rehire as states start to allow restaurants to reopen, it’s going to be a slow recovery process.

Click here  to download the infographic.
Please  visit our website  for the latest COVID-19 updates, in addition to the above resources and information for your business. Updated as of 7:35 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17.