Bars and Restaurants

Local governments in the St. Louis region have taken disjointed approaches to managing the coronavirus pandemic, and restaurant owners say they are paying the price.

The St. Clair County Health Department suspended food or liquor licenses for seven bars and restaurants late last week, and could order more businesses to close if they don’t comply with a statewide ban on indoor service.

It might seem that restaurant owners Joe Jovanovich and Mohammed Qadadeh have enough on their plates just keeping their eateries open. They run the Pat Connolly Tavern and American Falafel, respectively, and are busy finding innovative ways to operate and pay their employees during the challenging year that is 2020. Yet they’ve also stepped up to address food insecurity among their neighbors in the midst of all that — as have many of their peers in St. Louis’ vibrant, and hard-hit, restaurant industry.

New restrictions in St. Louis County aim to slow soaring numbers of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. But business owners in Fenton and the Delmar Loop have said the differing approaches between counties has made it hard for their business to stay afloat.

A growing number of restaurants are signing on to a lawsuit in an effort to keep their indoor dining rooms open as coronavirus cases surge.

Outdoor patios have helped many restaurants stay afloat during the pandemic, but colder weather presents new challenges.

Schnucks “Local Grab and Go” program is bringing local products made by Black-owned businesses to supermarket shelves.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is placing an additional restriction on Metro East bars and restaurants to try to slow the spread of coronavirus in the region.

Popular delivery apps such as UberEats, GrubHub and DoorDash might soon be more transparent about restaurant fees and driver pay for orders in St.…

The pandemic has led to an increased demand for food delivery services, like DoorDash and Postmates. In March, Chipotle Mexican Grill announced it would…