Right now, bar and restaurant owners in the city of Milwaukee are facing a great deal of uncertainty with regard to reopening. They’re looking for guidance from city leaders. They’re studying what other businesses in other cities have done. And they are – in almost every case – grappling with questions for which they have no answers.
Some of their big questions include:
- Is it financially feasible to reopen when we can only operate at a reduced capacity?
- If we reopen, will we make enough money to pay our employees a living wage?
- How do we keep both guests and employees safe?
- How do we offer guests a fantastic experience when we can’t operate "normally"?
- If we open our doors, will people be ready to come and support us?
- Should we remain closed and offer carry-out only until the community feels more comfortable with dining out?
There’s a good deal at stake. And while even the best data offers no guarantees, moving ahead with a better sense of how diners feel makes a big difference.
In an effort to help, I got a group of chefs and restaurant owners together for a brainstorming session. They shared a variety of questions they’d love to ask the dining public. And OnMilwaukee partnered with them to get the answers from you, our readers.
If you value the dining scene we have here in Milwaukee, please support local restaurant owners by taking 5 minutes to fill out this survey and provide your honest feedback. Together, we can make it easier for restaurants to make more educated decisions as the time comes for them to welcome you back.
THE SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED.
Access the results here.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
