Filling up: Chicago boosts indoor dining capacity

Covid-19 cases are down and Chicago’s indoor dining numbers are going up.

Restaurants and bars in the city can now offer indoor dining at 40 percent capacity, the highest that figure has been during the pandemic.

The good news for customers, restaurateurs and landlords comes as the city reported fewer than 400 new coronavirus cases for three straight days, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The move to ease indoor dining restrictions — which stipulates a maximum of 50 patrons per venue — took effect Tuesday. It follows the late January decision to reopen city and suburban Cook County eateries at 25 percent capacity or a maximum of 25 people each. Under those rules, fitness centers could also open inside at half capacity, and indoor and outdoor events were allowed for up to 25 people or at 25 percent capacity. Before that, indoor dining had been banned since late October.

Restaurants still must abide by the six-person limit on tables, along with last-call for alcohol at 11 p.m. Food service will still end by midnight.

For the next phase, city officials said they hope to increase allowable indoor capacity to 50 percent. [Tribune] — Alexi Friedman