Just like the morning after Election Day in 2008, Valois Restaurant on South 53rd Street was offering its "Obama Breakfast" for free. Crowds cheered as they showed up to take advantage of it.
"It gets the community excited. It gets everyone in a positive attitude again. It's a tough economy. Hopefully, in the next four years, he can fix it," Valois Manager Taso Chronopoulos said.
The line stretched outside the door and down the sidewalk for hours.
"I'm excited to be able to share this moment with everybody in the neighborhood who supports Obama, and I'm glad to see him back in office," said Obama supporter Onjalique Clark.
At the breakfast table with her kids, Sheila Clay threw confetti she scooped up at the president's victory party at McCormick Place. She said she was proud to have been a campaign volunteer.
"I have been volunteering for the past five months -- from Iowa, Wisconsin. We were just paving the way up and down hills, knocking on doors," she said.
Over breakfast and newspaper headlines, the re-election was the topic of conversation, but not everyone's reaction to the president's win overnight was positive.
"We're in big trouble here. This country is in real trouble. We're going to be going bankrupt in the next four years, and it won't be a happy ending here," said a voter who identified himself as Fred.
But for some voters who live in the president's neighborhood, this is the sweet taste of victory.
"I never thought I would live to see an African-American president in this country, and it's one heck of a privilege to be living to see this go on, especially coming around on the second time," said Obama supporter Peter Zeigler.
Valois, which is near the Obamas' family home, is said to be one of the president's favorite places to get breakfast. Some customers were hoping Mr. Obama would make an appearance Wednesday, but after a very late night, maybe the commander-in-chief had breakfast in bed. He was scheduled to leave Chicago Wednesday afternoon.
President Obama made one stop at his campaign's headquarters before leaving for Washington D.C. There he thanked his volunteers and supporters.
