Governor Evers has announced new capacity limits for public gatherings as Wisconsin coronavirus cases spike.
Some places are exempt from the 25% capacity limit, including schools, grocery stores and churches.
Restaurants are not. “We’re just dismayed,” Kristine Hillmer, President of Wisconsin Restaurant Association, tells WTMJ. “We’re disheartened. This is really brutal to an industry that’s already been hurting. I can’t even imagine how our restaurant owners are feeling right now. All of their safety plans, all the investments they’ve made to keep their customers safe and keep their employees safe is all for not.”
Hillmer says rather than a statewide mandate, they would prefer restrictions come down based on location.
“The local public health officers and their communities know what’s happening there. It should be happening at the local level. This is not a one size fits all statewide issue.”
She says restaurants will have to get creative and ramp up carry out and delivery, but even that may not be enough.
“If this continues even one more month, I’m predicting 50% of restaurants could potentially go out of business. It’s just devastating.”
For the full interview with Hillmer on Wisconsin’s Morning News, click in the player above.