Terry Moore, Bartender

For bartender Terry Moore, the days just before the pandemic struck in March were spent going to concerts with friends and going to work at RL Restaurant in Chicago, where he’s worked for the past six years. But just days after being told to be mindful about washing his hands and not touching his face during service, the restaurant closed and Moore stayed home, until he returned to work in July.  

Looking ahead, he hopes to get vaccinated as soon as possible so he can travel more safely to see family and friends, and maybe even take a proper vacation. And, of course, experience live music with friends.  

“Collectively, we have all had a hard year, financially and mentally,” Moore says. “We, restaurant and bar workers, are doing our best to navigate through the constantly changing guidelines to provide the best service and experience to our customers, despite what personal hardships we may be dealing with outside of the workplace.” 

His story of the last 12 months follows.