Dining in: Despite tough times, restaurants giving back to front-line workers

As Illinois residents continue to abide by Gov. J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-home order, it's important to support suburban restaurants by ordering meals to dine on at home. To find out which restaurants are still offering curbside, carry out or delivery, check our list of towns and restaurants here: dailyherald.com/entlife/ or see diningatadistance.com/chicago.

Giving back

The Hen House: The brunch restaurant in Wheaton is offering a couple of charitable deals. First, it's offering 20% off to any front-line worker who places an order. Also, for any customer who would like to donate a meal to a front-line worker at Central DuPage Hospital, Hen House will match it with another donated meal. Deals for everyone include a free order of pancakes between the hours of 1 and 3 p.m. with an entree order and a free bowl of soup with all lunch items. The restaurant is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily for no-contact curbside pickup or delivery through Uber Eats, DoorDash or GrubHub. The Hen House is at 1060 College Ave., Wheaton, (630) 480-0611 or the-hen-house-of-wheaton.business.site/.

Noodles & Company: The fast-casual pasta restaurant is now offering Noodles Family Meals for four featuring Italian Classics, Mac Pack, Asian Bowls and World Flavors. What's even better is that for every family meal purchased, Noodles will donate a regular-sized bowl back to health care workers now through May 31. The family meals are available for curbside pickup or free delivery through April 30 when ordering from noodles.com or the Noodles app. Noodles has locations throughout the suburbs. For details, see noodles.com/familymeals/.

Steak 'n Shake: Free fries for all! Yes, you read that correctly. Steak 'n Shake has expanded its #WereAllEssential offer so all customers can get a free small order of fries from the drive-through with no purchase necessary. Limit one per person. The fast-food restaurant has locations throughout the suburbs. See steaknshake.com/menu_specials/free-fries/ for details.

White Castle: In support of those working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, now through April 30, health care workers and EMTs can receive one free Combo Meal (1-6) or Breakfast Combo each day by showing a valid work ID when going through the drive-through at White Castle. The fast-food restaurant has locations throughout the suburbs. whitecastle.com/.

Zin GastroPub: Customers are encouraged to donate a meal for a hero, to be delivered to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington on Friday, April 17. It's $15 per meal. Besides offering its regular menu for curbside pickup or delivery, the Lake Zurich gastropub is also offering customers the chance to order farm-to-table provisions. Items available include grass-fed meats, dairy (milk, eggs, cheese curds), honey, potatoes, onions, semolina bread and more. Also, wines are 50% off. Zin GastroPub, which is open from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, is at 583 N. Rand Road, Lake Zurich, (847) 946-4167 or zingastropub.com/.

Shaw's one-day-only pop-up

Shaw's Crab House in Schaumburg is opening for one day only - from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 17 - to host a special pop-up King Crab Dinner for Two for $150. The feast include Parker House rolls, Shaw's Classic Caesar Salad, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, Alaskan Red King Crab Legs and chocolate cake. Shaw's is also offering its entire wine list for half-off, plus diners can order cocktail kits, too. Walk-in guests will be accepted for wine or cocktail orders only. Dinners must be pre-ordered and pickup times arranged online through Tock. Shaw's is at 1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 517-2722 or shawscrabhouse.com/.

Dinner and a doc

If you're missing live NBA action right now, ESPN is releasing a 10-part documentary series, “The Last Dance,” featuring Chicago Bulls player Michael Jordan during his last season, starting at 8 p.m. Sunday, April 19. For the occasion, Michael Jordan's Restaurant in Oak Brook is offering a special dinner menu available for pickup. For $24 per person, each meal will include garlic bread, soup or salad, a choice of entree (salmon and salsa, roasted chicken or bourbon barbecue ribs; $15 upgrade for a 12-ounce New York Strip or a 10-ounce filet), two sides (aged cheddar stone ground grits, green beans with country ham and smoked pecans, grilled asparagus) and a triple chocolate brownie. Plus, kids eat for free (one kids' meal per paid adult). Options include sliders, mac and cheese or chicken tenders. Select wines start at $19 per bottle. Order through Tock or at (630) 828-2932 from noon to 5 p.m. through Friday, April 17.

Michael Jordan's Restaurant is at 1225 W. 22nd St., Oak Brook, (630) 828-2932 or michaeljordansrestaurant.com/.

Recent re-openings

Napoli Per Tutti: After being closed for a few weeks, the Schaumburg restaurant will once again be serving its Neapolitan pizzas and Italian specialties for pick up and delivery from Sliced, Uber Eats and GrubHub starting at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 16. Napoli Per Tutti is at 181 Barrington Road, Schaumburg, (224) 653-9464 or napolipertutti.com/.

Palm Court: The Arlington Heights institution reopened this week for carry out and delivery via GrubHub and DoorDash. Besides a limited carryout menu, Palm Court is also offering a family-style dinner for four for $58. It includes cream of chicken rice soup, salad, a choice of chicken piccata, chicken kabob, sirloin kabob, tilapia or pasta primavera, a side and bread pudding served with sweet bourbon glaze. The restaurant is at 1912 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, (847) 870-7770 or palmcourt.net/.

More deals

The Blossom Cafe: Who doesn't like brunch? The Blossom Cafe is offering family brunch meals perfect for the weekend or weekday. Brunch for Two (four scrambled eggs, two pancakes, two slices of French toast, four strips of bacon, four sausage links and two cups of organic-blend coffee) is $29.99. Brunch for Four is $54.99 and Brunch for Six is $84.99. The brunch meals, offered from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, are available for carry out or curbside pickup only. The restaurant is at 8349 W. Lawrence Ave., Norridge, (708) 453-5300 or theblossomcafe.com/.

Phat Phat: The new Chinese eatery in Schaumburg is offering complimentary spring rolls with any order of $30 or more for take out or delivery. The restaurant is open for orders from noon to 8 p.m. daily at (847) 250-2345 or through GrubHub. The restaurant is at 17 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, phatphatchinese.com/.

How you can help

With Gov. Pritzker's stay-at-home order lasting at least through April 30, and the dining rooms of suburban restaurants closed, many eateries are struggling. Here are some ways you can help:

The Bien Trucha Group - Bien Trucha in Geneva, a toda madre in Glen Ellyn and Quiubo in Naperville - has devised a way for patrons to help first responders while also supporting the restaurant group. BTG has created two packages that patrons can order to provide meals to staff members (doctors, nurses, cleaning crew, administrative, volunteers and others) at Delnor Hospital in Geneva, Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Edward Hospital in Naperville and the Northern Illinois Food Bank (which is distributing food boxes to those most in need). One package feeds 20 and costs $250 and the other feeds 40 and costs $500. To order, see toasttab.com/bien-trucha-410-410-w-state-st/v3. Also, another way to help BTG is by buying a gift card, as 100% of gift card sales will go toward supporting the hourly staff. For details, see bientrucha.com/, atmrestaurant.com/ or quiubomx.com/.

Bottleneck Management, which owns City Works in Vernon Hills, Schaumburg and Wheeling and Old Town Pour House in Naperville and Oak Brook, has closed all of its restaurants and laid off a majority of its employees, either temporarily or permanently, during the pandemic. To help out its team members, Bottleneck has set up a Go Fund Me Employee Relief Fund, with the goal of raising $100,000. For those who donate $500 or more, Bottleneck Management will return the favor with a $500 gift card. For details and to donate, see gofundme.com/f/bottleneck-management-employee-relief-fund. Or see cityworksrestaurant.com/ or oldtownpourhouse.com/.

Help support Mickey Finn's and its workers by buying a gift card to the Libertyville brewery. For every $100 gift card purchased, $20 will go to the restaurant's out-of-work staff. Plus, all tips from delivery or curbside takeout also will go to out-of-work staff. Temporary hours are 4 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday and 4 to 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Mickey Finn's Brewery is at 345 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, (847) 362-6688 or mickeyfinnsbrewery.com/.

To submit restaurant news or deals, email clinden@dailyherald.com.