Restaurants Under Governor Restrictions
In effect since August 26, Will County and Region 7 remains under restrictions under Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan. These mitigations include no indoor dining and group gatherings cannot exceed 25 people.
The county is currently at a 7.6 percent positivity rate and needs to average 6.5 percent or lower to move back to Phase 4.
Wild Tuna
While the situation is a challenge for some Will County restaurants, Wild Tuna’s business has been steady the last couple of weeks.
“We’re surviving and thanks to all of our regular customers and staff coming in every day and grinding out,” said owner of Wild Tuna Sushi & Grill, Jeff Chiang. “I definitely feel blessed for sure to still be around.”
Chiang notes it is tough, but they’re doing everything they can like To Go cocktails and curbside pickup.
A Challenge for Some
But president of the Naperville Development Partnership, Christine Jeffries, said that doesn’t work for everyone.
“We have some restaurants that just can’t do carry out,” said Jeffries. “It’s not that they’re not set up for it, it’s just that their food doesn’t apply itself as well to carry out.”
Jeffries believes the restaurant industry has been unjustly targeted by the governor and the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“I do think we need to identify where these cases are coming from,” said Jeffries. “And if that contact tracing is as good as they say it is then they should be able to identify the hot buttons for where this is coming from.”
And to do that, Jeffries is asking everyone to do their part.
“Nobody likes wearing a mask but we do like to keep our businesses open and so we all need to do what it takes at this point,” said Jeffries.
And for Chian, looking at the bright side is what he can do.
“Stay positive because being negative doesn’t really help you, your business, or your customers,” said Chiang. “Like with anything, it’s going to pass.”
DuPage County
DuPage County has entered a warning level, but does not have any restrictions at this time.
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ reports.
