Chicago area restaurant owners rally in support of federal bailout money

CHICAGO - Suburban Chicago restaurant owners are rallying in support of another federal bailout for their industry.

They say without more funding, mom-and-pop restaurants will close and chain restaurants will dominate the industry.

They are asking for $48-billion in grants for restaurants who didn't get money from the original restaurant revitalization fund last year.

They claim much of that money went to restaurants that already had millions in the bank.

The Chicago Restaurant Coalition gathered Monday in Westchester at the Alpine Banquet House, making their plea.

"Well established restaurants know how to survive, inflation, recessions, upturns, downturns but what we are experiencing now is unprecedented. No amount of business acumen can help us weather this storm without additional help," said Elaine Apastolopoulos of Paul’s Family Restaurant in Elgin.

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There are currently bills in the US House and Senate that would provide more funding for restaurants. The latest bill was introduced seven months ago and no action has been taken since then.