As Illinois moves past its peak for the omicron variant of the coronavirus, restaurants in central Lake County are continuing to be haunted by a slew of problems. And, with the recent spike in cases, some say business has dropped.
Restaurant owners in the area say the decline hasn’t been harmful by itself, but is being compounded by problems that have become all too familiar: supply shortages, rising costs and scarce labor.
From fewer tables, curtailed hours and parts of the restaurant becoming almost inactive, John Durning, owner of Pizzeria DeVille in Libertyville, said the issues he’s having are, “as bad as ever.”
“Trying to find help is insane,” he said. “It’s been hard.”
But given the circumstances, Durning said the restaurant has held up during the spike. He said it’s primarily because the increase took place in the middle of what Durning called the busiest time of year for his restaurant, from October to early January.
While he said increased cases did cause his business to drop, it wasn’t as severe due to the peak time. In short, it reduced the bleeding.
Jim Schultz, owner and manager of Franks for the Memories in Mundelein, which is approaching its fourth decade of operation, said he did notice a drop in business as cases began to spike in December. He said he thinks many decided to stay home. The trend has created some slow days, but they still see customers, he said.
“People just aren’t going out, and they’re eating in,” he said. “But at the same time, we’re very busy.”
In Vernon Hills, Priscilla Gonzalez, operating partner of Cafe Zupas, said the increase in cases has “100%” affected their restaurant, dating back to mid-December. Less people have come through the door, including many regular customers.
“Usually after the holiday season, restaurants are known to kind of slow down, but this is … something I’ve never seen before,” Gonzalez said.
Scott Adams, president of the Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills Chamber of Commerce, said increasing cases have put a strain on businesses, but added that winter is generally a slow time as it is for restaurants, as people aren’t going out.
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At the peak of the pandemic, Durning estimates business was down between 35-40%. It now is about 30%, he said. Durning said that has led to them essentially shifting their business model in a way. They remain open every day for lunch and dinner, but have changed hours and staffing.
Prices charged by the restaurant, as well as their pay to employees, have gone up. But charging more hasn’t kept up with the rising costs of the business, he said.
“Cheese, wheat, flour, tomatoes coming from Italy. I mean, none of that stuff’s getting cheaper,” Durning said.
Schultz said wings are becoming more costly to get a supply of, leading to Franks’ wings being the highest price they’ve ever been. He said he’s raised prices on the item three times in the past eight months. Several items around the wings have gone up as well, from the oil they’re cooked in to the containers they’re served in, Schultz said.
Prices have changed so often that Schultz said he can’t print menus anymore.
“Maybe some of the loss of business is due to knowing that they’re going in and paying … high prices,” Schultz said. “You’re going out and spending a lot more money …. I think a lot of people are finding out they can cook at home.”
While some owners said supplies haven’t proved to be too much of a burden, Gonzalez said food and basic restaurant supplies have been spotty across the board. From cups to produce and meats, she said.
Adams at the chamber said he thinks the bulk of businesses have learned to work with a more lean model. And with cases projected to be on the decline heading into February, Adams said many owners are remaining optimistic and steady.
“I think (rising cases) has been a bothersome thing,” he said. “I think generally the feeling I’m getting back from most of the restaurants is fairly stable, fairly upbeat.”
Durning chalks up part of the issue to peoples’ habits changing. And going forward, that uncertainty is still looming. While he doesn’t worry about restrictions or capacity limits coming back, he does think many will opt to hunker down in the coming weeks to avoid the virus rather than go out to eat.
“When they don’t come sit at your place and drink, a portion of your normal ticket goes away,” he said. “All these little things just keep nicking at it.”
Tacking onto that, Durning said the uncertainty of what comes next has been difficult to work with.
Schultz said his biggest concern going forward is finding a consistent stream of help for his restaurant. On the flip side, he said he feels the community has kept him in mind during the difficult times.
“They’re trying to keep me afloat, and keep the business going,” Schultz said.