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'What I'm worried about most is our people' | Illinois restaurants prepare to shift to carry-out only

A Fine Swine BBQ is hoping to stay busy during temporary dine-in ban

NEW BADEN, Ill. — All restaurants and bars in Illinois will close their dining rooms to the public starting Monday night.  

Governor J.B. Pritzker announced the ban Sunday, which will be in effect at least through March 30. 

In New Baden, Illinois A Fine Swine BBQ is preparing for the ban by shifting all of its business to carry-out and food truck only.

David Stidham owns the popular BBQ joint and found out he had to close through a friend. 

"Actually someone sent me a text saying, hey it looks like you are shut down," he said.  "And I said 'what' and they sent me a link."

He owns two restaurants in Illinois, A Fine Swine BBQ in New Baden and A Fine Swine BBQ and Pizza in Mount Vernon. Both are shifting to an entire new way of running their operations. 

"We are fortunate enough to have a competition trailer that we've been able to convert into a food truck," Stidham said. He's already moved the rig into the parking lot to prepare.

RELATED: Gov. Pritzker orders bars, restaurants in Illinois to close to public starting Monday night

Normally, A Fine Swine's BBQ trailer is on the road headed to competitions, but now it's going to be the hub for lunch orders, which will be a limited menu.

"They can order our championship pulled pork sandwiches, our Texas brisket sandwiches, sides and drinks," he said.

Dinner is also going to look a little different. The dining room will be empty. 

"We'll have full menu, but it's going to be call ahead," he said.

A Fine Swine BBQ will also have servers running orders out to patrons' cars in the parking lot. 

"What I'm worried about most is our people," he said. "They live week-to-week a lot of them and we want to help take care of them as best we can."

General Manager Addison Cummins said it's on him to make sure the hours available go to people who need or deserve them. 

"If I have to take a pay cut that's fine," Cummins said. "It's worth it to keep them here."

Pitmaster Drew Anderson said he is optimistic everything will work out. 

"It seems like we have a fair amount of support that want to take advantage of curbside and carry-out," he said.

While 5 On Your Side was at the restaurant, Stidham took multiple calls from people asking what the BBQ joint's plan is for the coming weeks. 

RELATED: Metro East restaurants, customers prepare for temporary closure amid coronavirus concerns

He's worried not only for his BBQ and pizza spots, but for all of the restaurants in Illinois. 

"The restaurant business in Illinois is already on razor-thin margins," Stidham, "And being in BBQ it's even more razor-thin."

5 On Your Side asked if A Fine Swine BBQ could start delivery service, but Stidham explained, "We'd have to get new insurance and delivery is very expensive."

New Baden is a small town and delivery apps do not operate within the area.

 

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