Brandon Baxter and the other managers at St. Nicholas Brewing Company in Du Quoin expect to do a lot of sprinting in and out the door in the next few weeks.
With restaurant dining rooms across Illinois closed for at least two weeks starting Tuesday as the state tries to limit the spread of the coronavirus, local eateries are taking advantage of what they still can do -- deliver food, and make it available for pickup.
Alongi's Restaurant has a drive-up window and it will be open for food pickups.
At St. Nicholas, there's no window. So Baxter and the three other managers will carry orders out to waiting cars.
"People will pay over the phone and whenever they get here they'll call and tell us," Baxter said Monday. Managers will carry the food out and get the credit receipt signed.
And while St. Nicholas's catering business has evaporated because events have been canceled, they will still deliver, too.
On Sunday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered all restaurants and bars in Illinois closed to inside dining as of the close of business Monday until at least March 30, in a sweeping measure aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
Pritzker announced the order during a news conference during which he lamented that many people had not taken seriously earlier suggestions to avoid crowds and public gatherings.
"The time for persuasion and public appeal is over," he said. "The time for action is now. This is not a joke."
As of Monday afternoon, Illinois had 105 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
Under the order, restaurants still will be able to serve customers at drive-through windows and curbside pickup.
Pritzker hinted at the drastic measure during an appearance earlier Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." He said discussions of a lockdown stem in part from videos showing large groups of revelers gathering in Chicago bars Saturday to celebrate St. Patrick's Day weekend, despite health officials urging people to avoid crowds and practice social distancing.
"People aren't understanding that, even if you're healthy, even if you're young, that you may be a carrier. And you're going to hand it over to somebody else," Pritzker told host Chuck Todd. "COVID-19 is spreading because even healthy people can be walking around, giving it to other people. So we need to go on lockdown."
At St. Nicholas, they will offer their full menu but for limited hours: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
"I'm very disappointed," Baxter said, "but I understand why they are doing it. And we're definitely doing what we can to adapt, to make the best of it."
Unfortunately for the wait staff that means temporarily laying them off, as the four managers will handle the curbside business.
"Most of our servers have other jobs," Baxter said, but he knows the longer they are laid off the more they might be compelled to find other second jobs.
At St. Nick's, Alongi's and Kalin's Cafe in downtown Du Quoin, people were generally sad to forego dining in comfortable, friendly surroundings.
Jean and Mark Bullock of Du Quoin were at Alongi's "getting one last meal," Jean said. She said people are bewildered about how to stay safe.
"We're at a standstill," she said. "We have been to the store and the shelves were bare."
