MONTICELLO, Ill. (WAND) – Customers are back in the seats at bars and restaurants across Central Illinois after more than two months of a ban on indoor dining.
Tuesday was the first day the state allowed indoor dining to resume in regions 3 and 6 of the state’s Reopen Illinois plan.
"We're ready to gear up and have inside seating again,” Brad Peters, owners of 3 Ravens Food and Spirits, in Monticello said.
The long-time community staple opened for indoor dining following the lifting of restrictions by the Governor.
The state said there has been a reduction in new cases and hospitalizations, but things are not completely back to normal. In region 6, which is Macon County east, and where 3 Raven’s is located, bars and restaurants can still only operate at 25% capacity, social distancing is required, and masks are a must.
"You're working, you should wear a mask,” Peters said.” You walk in, you should wear a mask until you are seated. It is just common scene.”
Not all of Central Illinois is under capacity requirements though. In region 3, Sangamon County west, all bars and restaurants are open. The most notable difference is in phase four, you can have up to 50 people in a gathering.
