Illinois Couple Turns Unused Van Into Mobile Dining Room

With little options left for dining out during a pandemic, an Illinois couple turned their unused van into a mobile dining room. 

Thanks to coronavirus, the couple’s business is old hold, leaving their van sitting for the time being. It gave Kim and Doug White the idea to use the van for a different purpose when new COVID-19 restrictions were introduced that limited restaurants to takeout and reduced indoor dining. With the weather getting cold, it was the perfect idea to continue to support struggling businesses in their town. 

“Oct. 23 was when the mandate was gonna go forward to shut restaurants back down again — and here, it’s too cold to sit outside,” Kim White told “Good Morning America.” “We were driving around on the 21st — both really bummed out that we wouldn’t be able to go into the restaurants because we really enjoy going out to eat and have a deep connection to the restaurant industry and felt bad for them.”

Doug White commented to his wife about having an RV with a table to take to different restaurants, which sparked the idea. They outfitted the van with a folding table, chairs, some Edison bulbs for flair, and even some candled. Their first stop was a local BBQ restaurant.

The couple has continued to dine at different area restaurants, highlighting each location on their Facebook and Instagram pages. Kim White said that restaurant owners are noticing new customers as a result of the promotion.