Safe To Reopen Webinar: Proper Disinfecting and Instilling Consumer Confidence
|
|
Join the IRA and panelists from
Ecolab
on
Thursday, June 11 at 10:00 a.m.
for a webinar on providing expert guidance on cleaning and disinfecting, as well as communicating with customers to instill confidence as restaurants reopen and welcome back guests.
Panelists:
- Matt Rhodes, Sr. Technical Account Specialist, Restaurant Segment, Ecolab
- Elizabeth Graven, Assistant Marketing Manager, Ecolab
- Dan Pignato, Assistant Vice President, Institutional Area Manager, Western Great Lakes, Ecolab
|
|
City of Chicago Issues Guidance on COVID-19 Related Surcharges and Restaurant Tax
The City of Chicago's Department of Finance has issued
guidance
to ensure restaurants and customers understand the proper treatment of the COVID related "surcharge" that some restaurants have started to collect during these unprecedented times.
The rate of the City’s restaurant tax is .50% of the "selling price" of all food and beverages sold. The term "selling price" means "the consideration for a sale" and "shall be determined without any deduction on account of the cost of the property sold, the cost of materials used, labor or service cost or any other expense whatsoever..."
Accordingly, any "surcharge" restaurant customers are required to pay for food or beverages is considered taxable and should be included in the basis upon which the restaurant tax is calculated.
In addition, it is important to note that any such "surcharge" is not a tax and should not be designated as such on any price list or invoice.
Please contact
[email protected]
with any questions about this matter or other tax questions.
|
|
Questions, Concerns, or Referrals Needed? Ask IRA
|
|
The IRA team is here 24/7 as a resource to you and your business.
ASK IRA is the source for businesses to find Illinois restaurant & foodservice-specific industry information, recommendations, and best practices. We can help you find solutions for your biggest business concerns.
It's the pathway to finding answers regarding matters important to Illinois' foodservice businesses - from HR, law, food safety, PR, insurance, accounting, and music licensing, to workers' compensation, technology, federal, city, state & county requirements, and social media - just to mention a few!
|
|
Resources Website for Spanish-Speaking Communities
|
|
The website includes resources for financial, legal, medical, and food assistance, and links to organizations that serve vulnerable communities.
We thank Sam for his steadfast commitment to helping immigrant populations across Illinois.
Click here
to visit the website. Please share the website with your team members and colleagues.
|
|
City of Chicago Updated Hours of Operation for Restaurants, Sidewalk Cafes, Expanded Outdoor Dining FAQs
As of Sunday, June 7, the city of Chicago's 9:00 p.m. curfew is no longer in effect.
Restaurants are permitted to sell food on their sidewalk cafes until the time specified by their retail food establishment license.
For example, if your retail food license specifies that you can remain open until midnight, you can sell food on your sidewalk cafe until midnight.
Restaurants with outdoor dining and a valid liquor license can sell alcohol at their establishment for on-premise, outdoor consumption until 11:00 p.m.
Therefore, if your restaurant's sidewalk cafe is permitted to remain open until midnight for the sale of food, your restaurant can not sell alcohol on your sidewalk cafe after 11:00 p.m.
Click here
to read the industry notice.
The City’s 9:00 p.m. liquor sales curfew remains in effect for to-go sales of alcohol at all retail establishments.
Licensed establishments must display a posting indicating the prohibition of liquor sales after 9:00 or 11:00 p.m.
Click here
to download the notice to post at your establishment.
The city has also issued an updated FAQ on expanded outdoor dining, sidewalk cafes, and street closures.
Click here
to review the updated FAQ.
Click here
to download the full Phase III outdoor dining guidelines for restaurants.
Restaurants must follow all outdoor dining regulations and social distancing measures - including six feet between tables - or risk enforcement action from the city of Chicago.
|
|
Cook County Community Recovery Fund - Loans Available for Suburban Small Businesses
|
|
All applicants must be located in suburban Cook County (outside the boundaries of the city of Chicago)
. The Cook County Community Recovery Fund offers one-time, zero-interest loans of up to $20,000 for small businesses and up to $10,000 for independent contractors in suburban Cook County.
Small Businesses located in suburban Cook County are eligible for the fund if they:
- Employ 25 or fewer employees
- Earn less than $3 million in annual revenue
- Saw revenues decrease up to 25% as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Independent Contractors located in suburban Cook County are eligible for the fund if they:
- Make at least half their yearly income in 1099 contract work
- Earn less than $100,000 annually
- Reside in suburban Cook County (outside the boundaries of the City of Chicago)
The application will remain open for ten days from the launch. Loans will be available to applicants who qualify for the Cook County Community Recovery Fund until the funds are exhausted.
|
|
Please
visit our website
for the latest COVID-19 updates, in addition to the above resources and information for your business. Updated as of 6:40 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
