Chambers of Commerce Leaders Believe Proposed Ride-Share Tax Will Hurt Downtown Restaurants

Chambers of commerce leaders believe proposed ride-share taxes will hurt restaurants

Three chambers of commerce leaders voiced opposition to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s new budget plan in an Crain’s op-ed, arguing that new fees and tax increases on ride-shares will stymie tourism and downtown restaurants’s business. Jaime di Paulo (Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce), Todd Maisch (Illinois Chamber of Commerce), and Michael Reever (Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce) wrote that the ride-share tax portion of Lightfoot’s budget proposal “will certainly dissuade people from dining out and traveling downtown, which will have a negative impact on jobs for workers.” If Aldermen approve the proposal, new taxes will go into effect January 1.

Heavy metal burger mini-chain Kuma’s Corner launches catering

Popular heavy metal-themed burger spot Kuma’s Corner is getting in on the catering game with Kuma’s Catering, available at all four Chicagoland locations. Owners are offering a selection of sliders — beef, pulled pork, chicken breast, black bean, or Impossible Burger — along with macaroni and cheese, chili, and more. They also hope that the November launch means catering for holiday parties, end-of-the-year meetings, and family gatherings in the city and suburbs.

Illinois Restaurant Association to rally against potential ‘tip credit’ elimination

The Chicago City Council may vote this week on a proposal to boost tipped workers’ wages, putting opponents such as the Illinois Restaurant Association on the offense. IRA lobbyists are planning a press conference tomorrow morning at Norman’s Bistro, 1001 E. 43rd Street. The issue is contentious for many restaurant and bar owners. Some argue that the practice of “tip credits” — when owners use tips to fill the gap between a tipped worker’s $6.40 hourly wage to the current $13 per hour city minimum wage — are a sub-minimum wage that devalues workers, while others say that legislators shouldn’t presume to know what’s best for a given restaurant.

New York cocktail bar to pop up at Lincoln Square’s Fountainhead with Spanish cask-aged whisky

And finally, London-based Scotch whisky blending house Compass Box and the staff of New York cocktail bar the Spaniard will take over Lincoln Square’s fine whisky bar and restaurant Fountainhead, 1970 W. Montrose Avenue, on November 20 as part of a five-city tour. It’s the one-year anniversary of “the Story of the Spaniard,” the brand’s Spanish sherry and red wine cask-aged malt whisky blend, so bartenders will offer drinks including the “Fast Buck” (the Spirit of the Spaniard, Compass Box Peat Monster, ginger juice, lime, P.X. sherry). The full drink list is available below.

Correction: The headline and the first news item in this story have been corrected to reflect that the op-ed voiced opposition to just the ride-sharing tax proposal, not the proposed increased restaurant tax. A representative for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce says that the chamber has not yet commented on the restaurant tax.