January/February

Can Give Back To The Ways Your Restaurant

Community

Whether you are a quick-service food truck, pizza, or fine-dining restaurant, it’s important to find ways to give back to your community. According to the National Restaurant Association, 94% of restaurants make charitable contributions, and their contributions mostly go to their local community. During a disaster, restaurants become the backbone of support by providing food and beverages to first responders of those affected. As a restaurant owner, giving back can create buzz for your restaurant, add to staff morale, and set you apart from competition. Getting involved with a charity or giving back to your restaurant also doesn’t have to be as complicated or costly as you might think. Check out our list of different ways your restaurant can give back to your local community below.

Donate to a Food Bank

Host a Food Drive Hosting a food drive is one of the easier things to do. You can make it a one-day affair or have it last for a full month. Just set up an area in your restaurant to showcase it and a place where people can drop off their food items. Depending on the types of food you will accept, you may need a small or large space to house donations. Accepting perishable food can be a bit more challenging than accepting just nonperishable foods. Pick a Charity to Support It’s important to pick a charity to associate your restaurant with. Every charity is a great charity to give to, but it might be a good idea to pick one that closely relates to your restaurant’s target audience. Supporting a charity can show people how you support the local community. Additionally, it can only help your restaurant’s brand and values.

Donating to a food bank can always be helpful for both adults and children in your local area. You can’t always have locally grown inventory, especially during the winter months, so try starting with giving away non-perishables. IIf you want to try the next step, start thinking about the ingredients in your menu. Communicate with your local food bank and plan your menu around items they might need. Give Back to Local Schools In 2016, one in five children in the United States struggled with hunger according to No Kid Hungry. No Kids Hungry is known for its initiatives in school breakfast and summer food programs for children. They found that by having a school breakfast, students scored 17.5% higher in math than those schools that didn’t have breakfast programs. Children are our future, and giving them the nourishment they need will go a long way. Read More Here

HOSPITALITY NEWS JAN/FEB | Page 39

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