PEORIA (WEEK) – An employee at Pizza Ranch in Peoria confirmed they received a ‘Cease and Desist’ letter Saturday morning, barring them from continuing their indoor dining experience.

Pizza Ranch opened for indoor dining last week despite the Governor’s ‘Phase 3’ orders only allowing outdoor dining due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the letter to Pizza Ranch delivered Saturday morning, the Peoria City County Health Department cites ‘several complaints’ about indoor dining at the Pizza Ranch location on Brandywine Drive in Peoria. The penalty for non-compliance could revoke the restaurants license to serve.

The restaurant then decided to move their pizza buffet to an outdoor patio area in order to comply with the Health Department’s letter.

Ranch supporters are now planning a "save the pizza ranch protest" for next Saturday.