Illinois Pizza Joint Loses Franchise Over Angry Note To Gov

A Rosati’s Pizza franchise in Taylorville is under fire after its franchisee on Sunday posted a large sign in the restaurant’s windows reading: “Gov. Pritzker Screw You.”

The 20-seat pizzeria in Taylorville has been run by Peggy Brandon for the past year, but due to her outburst, Rosati's says that they've terminated her franchise agreement.

Eater.com:

Brandon told a newspaper reporter that she didn’t understand the reason behind Pritzker’s order as there have been no reported COVID-19 cases near the restaurant.

“And yet he (Pritzker) wants me and my servers to go without income for two weeks. Is the government going to pay us? Hell no, they’re not. Pritzker is a (expletive, expletive). He needs to go,” Brandon told the newspaper.

The sign, which covered the restaurant’s windows, went up Sunday afternoon after Pritzker announced restaurant and bars would be closed until March 30. Carryout, delivery, and curbside service are allowed. On Tuesday, Rosati’s corporate, based in Warrenville, sent Brandon a letter terminating their franchise agreement with her.

The letter read that Rosati’s agreed with the governor and Illinois Restaurant Association in closing dining rooms down and that while other locations were embracing the new safety precautions, that the Taylorville franchisee “selfishly took this juvenile approach” and did not hold the same values as the company.

Here's the sign that got it all rolling: