Local Restaurants Need Your Help!
This year has been challenging for everyone, but no business owner has suffered more than your community's local restaurants. Between shutdowns, limited seating allowance and customers feeling uneasy about dining inside, restaurants everywhere are closing their doors for good.
Still, many owners won't give up so easily. If you've ever worked in a restaurant, you know how perseverant restaurant owners can be. They love their communities and care for their staff, so they will do all they can to stay open. They've initiated new programs like home delivery, take-out with curbside pickup and catering. Some have even added outdoor seating, which is fine when the weather is good, but as we enter into the coldest time of the year, those outdoor seats aren't much fun. Owners who can afford them are purchasing outdoor heat lamps, fire pits and other ways to warm their guests; however, this is an expensive gamble. Unless people hear about these upgrades, they won't come in.
We need our local restaurants to stay open. They are essential to a healthy local economy. They employ us. They feed us. They give us a place to socialize and meet new people. Local bars and restaurants are responsible for more love stories than any other business in the world. We need them, and they need you. It's on all of us to help them get the word out and let others know how they can accommodate our hunger for good food.
Here's how you can help:
Spread the Word
If you use social media, you can make a difference.
Share about a recent experience or meal you had. Post a picture on your page and give them a shout out. Use descriptive and fun words to describe your meal or experience. Tag their Facebook page and let them know how much you enjoyed the food and service they provide. (TIP: To tag another business page, start by typing the @ symbol and the business page's name. Scroll through the options Facebook gives you and select the correct page. Tagging also helps others see the post, as well.)
Go to their business page and post a review or recommendation. Let people know how they accommodate people during the pandemic and ensure readers the establishment took the proper precautions to ensure your safety.
Share about them in community groups. We all belong to at least one or two local groups. Start a conversation about your favorite local restaurant and tag them in the post. Let people know about any unique offerings they provide and encourage people to give them a try.
Post a Review on Google, Yelp and Amazon. Besides Facebook, Google, Yelp and Amazon have the greatest reach online. Your reviews will be seen by thousands and show up on the restaurant's Google My Business Page. Amazon reviews are even shared on Alexa, so when someone asks Alexa about local restaurants, it may offer to share your review.
Buy Gift Cards
For the most part, sales of gift cards go straight to a business' bottom line, which is invaluable during challenging times. They are like microloans and repaid over time. They make fun and exciting gifts for anyone you receives one.
Buy a few and give them as stocking stuffers to your older kids.
Local Realtors can use gift cards to strengthen client relationships, serve their communities and improve their personal brand. If you're a local realtor, buy a bunch and give them to clients, vendors and your network. You'll be helping the restaurant and let your sphere of influence know you appreciate them. They also make a great addition to your new home buyer gift bags. Gift cards are like mini advertisements with a cash incentive to visit local establishments.
Local business owners of all kinds would do well by giving gift cards from local restaurants as gifts. Get creative and put together an assortment of cards from local shops and restaurants and promote your whole community. Snap a picture and share it on Instagram and Facebook; don't forget to tag the businesses in the post.
Give to NC Restaurant Workers Relief Fund
Another way to support local restaurants and their employees is to donate to The NC Restaurant Workers Relief Fund.
North Carolina restaurants and hotels provide jobs for more than 550,000 of our state's citizens, comprising 13% of our state's workforce. With the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in the shutdown of in-house dining, travel, and lodging stays, most hospitality workers have lost their jobs, income, and entire livelihood through no fault of their own. According to their website:
The NC Restaurant Workers Relief Fund has been established and will be managed through the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that has provided financial assistance to hospitality employees and students for more than a decade.
The goal of the NC Restaurant Workers Relief fund is to provide immediate financial assistance to the tens of thousands of cooks, servers, dishwashers, housekeepers, and others who live paycheck-to-paycheck and suddenly find themselves in distress.
Needs-based requests will be submitted through an online application, which will then be reviewed, scored and determined for funding. NC Restaurant Workers Relief Fund will strive to review applications as quickly as possible to provide immediate financial assistance.
This effort is limited to those who currently reside in North Carolina. Out-of-state applicants will be informed (at the time of application) of this requirement.
Other charitable organizations dedicated to helping restaurant owners, their employee's and their families include:
Restaurant Opportunities Center is a nonprofit organization fighting to improve wages and working conditions for the nation's restaurant workforce.
Core grants support to children of food and beverage service employees navigating life-altering circumstances.
Another Round Another Rally is a nonprofit organization fighting to improve wages and working conditions for the nation's restaurant workforce.
While many of us struggle through these dark times, we will get through them. As a part of the community, you can make a big difference by helping local business. Shop local, eat local and use local services.
If you find this article useful, share it on your Facebook or LinkedIn page. Hopefully, we can inspire enough people to make a positive difference.
