Get us in your inbox

Search
outdoor dining
Photograph: Shutterstock/Antwon McMullen

Illinois diners must wear a mask while ordering food or speaking to servers, Gov. Pritzker says

This new requirement is designed to protect restaurant workers and patrons.

Emma Krupp
Written by
Emma Krupp
Advertising

Starting Wednesday, August 26, patrons at Illinois restaurants and bars will have to wear a mask at all times while interacting with staff, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced at a Tuesday afternoon press conference. That includes while ordering food, speaking with waitstaff and picking up takeout. Like before, guests can remove their masks to eat and drink—just be sure to keep it nearby.

Illinois residents have been required to wear face coverings in public since May 1, but the new requirement is meant to better protect restaurant servers and staff, many of whom have raised concerns about virus exposure while on the job. In July, for instance, WBEZ reported on a Chicago Restaurant Workers survey that found 70 percent of restaurant employees don't feel safe around customers. In the press conference, Pritzker said that the expanded face covering rules will help limit transmission for both workers and patrons.

"It's important that we treat hospitality employees just as you would in any retail store or establishment," Pritzker noted. "This new requirement asks a little bit more of our residents dining out in order to protect their health and safety and that of our front-line hospitality workers."

New restaurant signage and guidance is already available online on the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity website, so you can expect to see that at your favorite dining establishments shortly. Pull that mask up and over your nose and remember to tip generously.

Most popular on Time Out

- These notable Chicago restaurants and bars have now permanently closed
- An interactive ‘Friends’-themed pop-up is coming to Chicago in October
- Time Out Market Chicago reopens in the West Loop next week
- Navy Pier will temporarily close after Labor Day
- Logan Square’s newest pizza joint debuts a 4,000-square-foot patio

You may also like
You may also like
Advertising