With the ongoing federal government shutdown threatening basic nutrition services for the most vulnerable, restaurants are stepping up to help.
Across the country, restaurants are offering free meals to families and seniors who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Benefits that are typically distributed on the first of the month are likely to be delayed as a result of the impasse in Washington, D.C., leaving an estimated 40 million people—or one in eight Americans—without food assistance. Food banks and nonprofits that feed those in need are bracing for a sharp spike in demand after Nov. 1.
Some restaurants, meanwhile, are preparing to do their part.
Chicken Salad Chick, for example, on Tuesday announced the offer of free meals for children at all locations, with no purchase necessary and “no questions asked,” until SNAP benefits are restored.
“We do not intend to take sides or make this offer political,” the company said on Instagram. “We simply believe that no child should go hungry.”
The offer is limited to one kid’s meal per child, for dine-in only.
“Let’s help care for our children, who are both our must valuable and most vulnerable. They are our future,” the chain said in the post.
In California, Tony & Alba’s Pizza in San Jose posted on Instagram that children aged 15 and under will be able to get a free meal, for dine-in or to-go, without any additional purchase, until SNAP is funded.
Diners just need to show their SNAP card, and parents will also get a discount. The child’s meal (pizza or penne pasta with meat sauce or marinara) will include carrots, fruit and a drink.
“We all need help sometimes. Just ask,” said the post. “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”
The post appeared to have inspired other restaurants to join in, including the Shrimp’N Ain’t Eazy food truck in San Jose, Monster Pho, Understory and Puerto Rico Street Cuisine in Oakland, and Al Pastor Papi and Rust Ladle in San Francisco, as well as OG Tacos in Concord.
In New Mexico, restaurants like Burrito Baby, Tacos Pita, The Hopper Pub & Pizzeria, Yin Yang Chinese Restaurant and others are reportedly offering free meals to children and seniors, starting in November (though dates vary by restaurant). The children must be present, and it’s generally one meal per child.
DoorDash this week also pledged to deliver 1 million meals for free to SNAP recipients to support food banks and pantries across the country throughout November. Delivery and service fees will be waived for those on the SNAP program, and DoorDash said fresh food, shelf-stable items and household essentials will also be donated to local food banks from DashMart locations.
“No one should go hungry in America—period,” said Max Rettig, vice president and global head of public policy at DoorDash, in a statement. “We know this is a stopgap, not a solution. But doing nothing simply isn’t an option.”
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