Chicago Expands Indoor Dining Capacity Limits As COVID Rate Drops

CHICAGO – Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced city restaurants and bars will be allowed to increase indoor service to 40 percent capacity up to 50 people starting today — Fat Tuesday.

The mayor cited "significant progress" in slowing the spread of coronavirus with significant declines in daily cases, COVID-19 test positivity rates and hospital statistics for allowing the expansion of indoor dining.

As of Tuesday, the city averaged 344 new cases, 62 emergency room visits and 117 COVID-19 patients in ICU beds per day, all metrics associated with a "moderate-risk" for spreading COVID-19. Chicago's 3.6 percent test positivity rate is associated with a "low risk" for transmission, officials said.

"In recent days, we have made incredible progress in the ongoing effort to save lives and defeat this deadly virus," said Mayor Lightfoot. "I am thrilled that we have made enough headway to cautiously ease more regulations, but I once again want to remind all our businesses and residents that we are not out of the woods yet. Only by committing to what we know works will we be able to continue moving forward carefully and responsibly."

Despite the increase in capacity, restaurants and bars will still be required to limit no more than six people to a table and alcohol service must end at 11 p.m. If the city's coronavirus metrics remain at a "moderate risk" for two weeks, restaurant capacity will be boosted to 50 percent, officials said.

Chicago Restaurant Coalition members praised Lightfoot for boosting restaurant capacity levels, calling the move "essential."

Still, the group said in a statement, that it wants the mayor to consider a "new City Hall process" for regulating restaurants during the coronavirus pandemic, and to provide $50 million in funding to restaurants that applied but didn't receive any of the $10,000 "survival grants" from the city.