Deerfield Restaurants Struggle During Lake Cook Rd. Construction

With an affordable menu of burgers, hot dogs and wraps, TeddyFabz on Lake Cook Road is a perfect place for local workers to visit on their lunch break. But since construction began on the intersection of Lake Cook and Waukegan Roads in April, those workers haven't been coming, fearing that the traffic will take up too much of their break or make them late on their way back.

“They don’t want to take the chance," owner Ted Spear said. "What if they’re stuck?”

The same thing is happening nearby at DC Sarnies.

"I think lunch is tough because people have one hour and if it's going to take you 20, 25 minutes just to get to a location you’re probably not going to go there," said manager Matt Maynard. "I think it’s also impacted our 4-6 bar business for the same reason. If it’s problematic at all to get out to a place, you’re more than likely going to choose somewhere else.”

Ristorante Abruzzo food and beverage manager Salvatore Cardamone said his business has been suffering during the same times and that he'd like to see someone directing traffic on the roads.

“The peek time is at noon out there," he said. "It’s a mess, it’s a zoo, and then it gets worse again at 5. Then by 6 it gets better again.”

Each restaurant is doing its best to cope while counting the days until the roadwork's scheduled end date in late October. Cardamone said he's been stuck in traffic himself and he greets customers with hugs to show that he appreciates then coming despite the inconvenience.

"It's very hard to manage," he said. "It's been difficult."

While some time periods are suffering, Maynard said DC Sarnies is actually doing better than this time last year. The spot has been attracting crowds by adding more TVs, live music and a lounge area and offering half-price burgers Monday nights. He said the restaurant's biggest challenge isn't the construction, but getting their name out to locals.

"I talk to people regularly that live very close by that still haven’t heard of us," he said.

Spear has been trying to increase his delivery business but said it's been inconsistent, with eight orders one day and just one the next. His overall business is down 25 to 30 percent from last year, with some days even worse.

“It’s just brutal," Spear said. "It really is. I know my food is good, my service is good. We can’t always be perfect but if it wasn’t for this darn construction we’d be OK. It’s very frustrating; it’s very depressing. I don’t know what I’m going to do one day to the next.”