Some businesses, including Texas Roadhouse Inc., the Cheesecake Factory Inc. and Applebee’s, believe that there is a benefit for business and their workers when mask mandates are removed. The facial coverings are hot and uncomfortable to work in, and not having to put them on between bites and sips makes customers more motivated to dine out, Applebee’s President John Cywinski said Wednesday.

Other restaurant operators said they feared alienating workers and diners by eliminating mask and vaccination requirement rules when allowed to do so. Some restaurant owners are still struggling to recruit enough staff to fully run their operations and worry that relaxing rules could scare off employees fearful about their health…

Cait Gurra, a 30-year-old Chicago activist who is immunocompromised, recently started a crowdsourced list of local venues still requiring proof of vaccination or masks. Ms. Gurra said she felt like the city’s rules had changed too fast.

“I wanted to still have places to go that I felt safe. And I knew other people were feeling the same way,” Ms. Gurra said.