How Burr Ridge Restaurants Are Faring

BURR RIDGE, IL — Patti's Sunrise Cafe in Burr Ridge has seen its business skyrocket since the state started allowing outdoor dining late last month, its co-owner says. And what's helped even more is a village program that pays for tents and tables to help restaurants with outdoor dining.

After the state banned restaurant dining in March, Sunrise saw its business plunge to 18 percent of normal, co-owner John Manderscheid said this week. With outdoor dining and the village's tents, business has risen to 73 percent of normal, he said.

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On a typical Mother's or Father's Day, Sunrise makes about $7,000, Manderscheid said. But on Mother's Day this year, revenue dropped to less than half of that. On Father's Day, with outdoor dining allowed, earnings increased to $5,700, he said.

Manderscheid was speaking about the pandemic's impact on his business during this week's meeting of the Village Board, which was considering whether to continue the tent program.

"If anyone has any thought that this wasn't helping out, please understand that it has helped us tremendously," he said.

Starting Friday, the state is allowing indoor dining, with many regulations for social distancing. Under the rules, Sunrise will be able to seat about a third of its usual diners inside, which is assuming people want to come inside while the pandemic continues, Manderscheid said.

"What we're unsure of here is how the pandemic will play itself out. We have been fortunate in Burr Ridge and DuPage County that the (coronavirus) numbers have crashed," he said.

Paul Jepsen, co-owner of Kirsten's Danish Bakery, told the Village Board that the tents have helped his eatery as well. The lunch business, he said, is starting to come back.

But because events such as confirmations, holy communions, weddings and graduations have been canceled, the cake business has yet to return, he said.

In late May, Burr Ridge agreed to spend $115,000 for tents, built-in lighting, fans and removable sidewalls at a number of spots near restaurants. Officials said the program would likely help save restaurants that have been struggling since the governor's stay-at-home order.

At the meeting, the board voted to continue the program beyond July 6. The village is reducing its share to half, with the restaurants paying the rest. The board plans to revisit whether to continue the program at its Aug. 10 meeting.

Under the new arrangement, the village is set to pay $4,500 a week.