How Dallas Restaurants Are Giving Back to the Community During the Pandemic — And How You Can Help Them
Newly Formed Non-Profits, Donated Meals and Discounts for Hospital Workers, and More
BY Megan Ziots // 03.23.20Pecan Lodge owners Justin and Diane Fourton have started a non-profit called Dinner Bell Dallas.
It is especially difficult for Dallas restaurants right now. Yes, they can still deliver and offer take-out, even when the Shelter-In-Place order begins at midnight, but it’s still going to be tough. When adversity comes though, always “look for the helpers,” as Mr. Rogers would often say. And we’ve got plenty of helpers in Dallas.
Hospital workers and first responders are working tirelessly right now. Now, Dallas restaurants who have been facing their own struggles are trying to help them by offering discounts and low cost meals. Read on to learn more, and how you can help get involved with their efforts.
Pecan Lodge
Diane and Justin Fourton, owners of Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum, have started a non-profit organization in the wake of the coronavirus (you can read the wonderful story behind it here). Called Dinner Bell Dallas, the non-profit will provide low cost, high quality meals to individuals and families in need as well as healthcare workers and first responders in our community on the front lines battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dinner Bell Dallas will focus on home delivery of meals to support families with parents working as emergency first responders or healthcare workers directly caring for those suffering from COVID-19. They’ll also offer boxed lunches and catering support for businesses and government entities tasked with feeding emergency personnel and operations staff. Finally, the new non-profit will work to create low cost meal options for the general public through various distribution points located throughout the City of Dallas and surrounding areas.
The Rustic
On Sunday, co-owner of FreeRange Concepts, Kyle Noonan, took to Instagram to announce that every purchase of The Rustic’s hot chicken sandwich will be matched and donated to hospital workers.
“Beginning today, through next Sunday, March 29, we urge anyone living in DFW, Houston and San Antonio – as well as people all across the country – to call in to donate a Hot Chicken & Cheese Sandwich for a hospital worker. For every sandwich purchased, The Rustic will match it. It’s that simple; no fine print. Order lunch for one hospital worker, and we’ll feed two of them. If 500 sandwiches are ordered for these amazing men and women this week, 1,000 will be donated.”
Once they get 1,000 orders, Noonan will share the Dallas restaurant’s recipe for the Hot Chicken & Cheese Sandwich, so you can make your own at home. Each costs $14.95, plus tax. To donate, call 214-730-0596.
Terry Black’s Barbecue
For the month of March, Terry Black’s Barbecue is offering 30 percent off of pickup, delivery, or catering orders to healthcare professionals, first responders and essential service providers. For delivery orders, the Dallas restaurant requests one day’s notice, as most of their meats take 24 hours to prepare.
Cafe Momentum
Cafe Momentum is delivering meals to families experiencing food insecurity and is asking for $25 donations to provide four meals to a family of four. Stand Together Foundation will be matching every donation dollar to allow Cafe Momentum to continue providing support “for the interns during these uncertain times.”
Also, starting on March 27 through the next month, Cafe Momentum is transforming their restaurant into a food hub to put together 16,000 meals each week for families in need. Staff will build meals for food-insecure students and their families in their community. They’ll start by providing Richardson ISD 1,000 boxes, each containing 16 meals per family, to be delivered to 11 apartment complexes where students attend RISD schools. Donate here.
Good Citizen
goodfriend Beer Garden & Burger House has changed its name to Good Citizen and providing lower priced menu items for to-go, pickup and delivery orders. All new menu items are also being introduced like burgers, turkey clubs, and portabello sandwiches starting as low as $5.50.
“These are trying times people…trying times indeed. In order to never forget our duty to each other during this unprecedented moment, we have changed our name to reflect what we ALL need to be to each other,” co-owner Matt Tobin stated. “Rest assured friends, we are not going anywhere. In an attempt to preserve our way of doing business and get back to the warm fuzzy feelings of community that we miss already, we have shifted the gears of commerce that we have available to us and made some changes.” Menu items will be more “straight-forward,'” including things like waffle fries, mac ‘n cheese, and basic salads.
Hero & HG SPLY CO (8020 Concepts)
For those in need, family meals are now available at Hero by HG SPLY CO and Lower Greenville’s HG SPLY CO every Monday through Friday from 6 pm to 9 pm. Meals will be determined by ingredients they have on hand and packaged for carryout. Food items will be the same in every box and will vary night to night depending on sponsored donations for the evening. And now, with the help of Chefs Produce and the Heard That Foundation, the organization will soon be able to expand to East Dallas. To help this initiative, donate here.
Furlough Kitchen
Furlough Kitchen just formed as a non-profit and started giving out meals to to hospitality workers that were furloughed on March 25. Using Front Burner’s catering commissary kitchen in East Dallas and CitySquare’s support network, the pop-up non-profit is uniting as a culinary team to provide hot meals for anyone affected by restaurant closures. To receive a meal, just drive thru their set-up at 4318 Eastside Avenue. To donate and give a meal, head to this link.
Sundown at Granada
Sundown at Granada has launched a Family Meal Give Back Program. If you purchase any of their family-size entrees, for an additional $20, you can donate a family meal to the Sundown and Granada staff, as well as local musicians that play at their stages who are out of work. Owners Mike and Julie Schoder will match every donation made.
Sylvan Thirty Good News
Sylvan Thirty developer Brent Jackson recently announced that he’ll be offering free rent for the next three months to current restaurant tenants including Cooper’s Meat Market, CiboDivino, Ten Ramen, Tacodeli, Juiceland, Shayna’s Place, Banh Mi Station, Houndstooth and Whisk Crepes Cafe.
Before that, these restaurants were already doing their part to support their local service industry community.
Cooper’s Meat Market is giving away 10 lunches a day to friends in the service industry, emergency medical field and law-enforcement. Just call 214-200-4128 between 11 am and 4 pm.
Whisk Crepes Cafe is welcoming any restaurant or bar employee, or healthcare worker, to a free crepe meal.