Stella Artois’ Outdoor Dining Pods Throw Chicago Restaurants A Lifeline

Anheuser-Busch’s Stella Artois brand is affording some Chicago restaurants, and their COVID-19 addled fans, a cold weather option that’s as creative as it is welcome.

Here’s the deal…

COVID-19 has been immensely costly and restaurants are struggling to survive. Restrictions have limited indoor dining and outdoor options are subject to cooling temperatures as winter nears.

But with  cold weather rolling in faster in Chicago than any other city, Stella Artois has announced a new partnership with the West Central Association and the Illinois Restaurant Association to provide an innovative outdoor dining solution to some Chicago restaurants allowing customers to dine together, safely apart.

With the Windy City’s restaurant and bar community still adapting to a ‘new normal,’ Dine Together, Apart is offering Chicagoans a  creative way to dine alfresco together in heated greenhouse domes at five popular restaurants.

The enclosed dining pods are now affording Chicago diners safety and warmth in the Fulton Market District, one of Chicago’s most popular destinations, home to well-known restaurants such as The Publican, Duck, Duck Goat, Beatrix, Kuma’s Corner, and Gus’s Fried Chicken.

And in an effort to bring an artful approach to the concept of social distancing, those enclosed greenhouse dining pods are surrounded by a the 3,840 sq. ft. chalk street mural by famed artist Shepard Fairey’s Studio Number One.

“The heart and soul of Stella Artois is savoring life with loved ones over food in restaurants, and this year, that community has faced so many challenges,” said Lara Krug, VP of Marketing….

 “Outdoor dining has given restaurants the slightest reprieve, while also becoming a special place for people to enjoy time together safely apart, which is why we’re uniting with the West Central Association and the Illinois Restaurant Association efforts to extend this offering for as long as possible.”

And Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot was equally enthusiastic about Stella Artois’ innovative program…

“The continuation of socially distanced and safe outdoor dining – and structures like these dining pods – helps bring a little bit of joy and normalcy to all of us while we face these extraordinary times together. I look forward to Stella’s continued support of outdoor dining structures as we expand projects like these in other Chicago neighborhoods.”