CARBONDALE (WSIL) -- Local restaurant owners are asking for your help to soften the financial blow as they begin to feel the effects of COVID-19.
Currently, restaurants can only do meal orders for pick-up, delivery and curbside.
This means profits are down as dine-in is not allowed at this time following Governor Pritzker's orders to maintain social distancing to slow the spread of the virus.
In an effort to soften the blow, the manager of New Kahala and founder of the ¾ÅÓÎÌåÓý Illinois Eats Facebook is stepping up to help others.
William Lo is collecting signatures on a petition to the city of Carbondale. The petition requests that the city's 2% food and beverage tax, and 4% packaged liquor tax be forgiven this quarter.
According to Lo, for restaurants that could be a savings of up to $4,000 and the difference between being able to keep the lights on or a few employees on staff.
"I feel it's important for businesses to hold that money for a bit longer to float them over these next few weeks," he says.
Lo, whose parents are the owners of New Kahala, adds that many waiters are already struggling as see a dramatic decline.
"I think it's devastating because wait staff is not making any money," he explains. "People can't dine in so the only employees who are making money are those who have made the pivot to curbside and deliveries."
Many Carbondale restaurant owner and their employees have signed a hard copy of the petition.
There's also an online copy for anyone in support to sign, which can be found .
The state has allowed small businesses to defer sales tax payments until April 30th.
