Restaurants Helping the Community: 10 Ways Your Restaurant Can Give Back to the Local Community
As a business, it’s important to be thinking about ways you can give back — and not just during the holidays. No matter your company size, there are plenty of options for ways you can support your local community all year round. Below, we break down a few of our favorites.
The Benefits of Giving Back to the Community as a Restaurant
Increased Customer Loyalty
Giving back helps build stronger connections with the local community. When customers see a restaurant actively supporting causes they care about, they feel more connected and loyal to the business.
Positive Brand Image
Participating in community initiatives enhances a restaurant’s reputation. A business known for its charitable work stands out and attracts customers who appreciate socially responsible companies.
Stronger Local Network
By engaging in community activities, restaurants can form valuable partnerships with local businesses, suppliers, and influencers. Creating a strong local network helps businesses thrive long-term.
Improved Employee Morale
Employees feel proud to work for a business that gives back to the community. This sense of purpose can boost morale, job satisfaction, and employee retention—and it can also help restaurants attract new employees.
Increased Visibility & Foot Traffic
Community involvement often leads to media coverage and social media attention. Whether it’s sponsoring a local event or hosting a charity night, these activities put restaurants in the spotlight and can drive new customers to visit.
10 Ways Your Restaurant Can Help Support the Local Community
1. Partner with Nonprofit Organizations
When it comes to partnering up with local nonprofit organizations, there are a lot of avenues you can explore. Explore working with the local chapter of Share Our Strength’s Dine Out for No Kid Hungry project, a national organization working to end childhood hunger in the United States. For a night or a week, a percentage of the business’ proceeds will go towards the charity.
2. Source Ingredients Locally
There are plenty of merits to offering a menu that features locally sourced ingredients. Not only does it show your community that you care enough to support local growers and offer the freshest dishes, but finding local sources for pricey, hard-to-transport ingredients is also beneficial to your bottom line. Additionally, using seasonal, local ingredients helps keep your menu fresh and allows your kitchen to whip up exciting new dishes that may become future staples at your spot.
3. Offer Event Deals for Local Businesses
Your private events program is a great place to team up with local businesses and show support for your community. Options for these partnerships include offering event discounts for nonprofit organizations, or adding in some perks or amenities (like carving stations or valet parking) if a big-spender event client hosts another event in your space. Not only will this show community support, but these events often bring new patrons into your establishment, effectively growing your potential client base in an organic, effective way.
4. Bring Extra Food to Shelters and Food Banks
Donating excess food and other restaurant items to local shelters and food banks is an easy, effective way to give back. There are plenty of resources online to help make sure you’re following the guidelines of what is safe and legal to donate. You can learn more about the laws for donating food, and get ideas from the the EPA for where to donate food. Another idea: some restaurants host holiday dinners for underserved or food-insecure families that are often funded by donations.
5. Highlight the Local Arts Community
Want to add a themed night to your restaurant, or just spruce it up with some flair? Reach out to local artists and musicians about displaying their artwork or hosting live music events. You can have the artwork for sale, and the music genre can dictate if you want to host a rowdy Friday night patio concert or a more low-key brunch soundtrack for diners. This is also a great marketing promotion opportunity for your establishment and the creatives you’re featuring. You’ll get twice the exposure and, hopefully, some new faces walking through your doors.
6. Host a Food Drive
Organizing a food drive at your restaurant is a simple but powerful way to help those in need. You can encourage customers to bring non-perishable items in exchange for discounts or special promotions. Not only does this show you care about the community, but it also brings in customers who want to participate in a good cause. The collected goods can be donated to local food banks or shelters, and this type of event often gets a positive response both in-store and online.
7. Donate a Percentage of Sales to Local Schools
Supporting local schools can take many forms, from donating a percentage of your restaurant’s sales to providing food for school events. For example, you could choose a weekday and pledge to donate 10% of your profits to a nearby elementary, middle, or high school. This initiative not only attracts more customers but also helps fund important school programs, classroom supplies, or extracurricular activities. Additionally, donating meals or snacks for events like teacher appreciation days, student celebrations, or sports events is another great way to give back.
8. Ask Customers for Donations
Sometimes, your customers want to help but aren’t sure how. You can make it easy by setting up a donation box at the register or adding an option for customers to round up their bill to the nearest dollar, with the extra cents going toward a charity or cause. This small gesture from customers can add up and help raise funds for local initiatives while making your restaurant a hub for positive community engagement.
9. Donate Used Equipment
Restaurants regularly upgrade their equipment, and instead of discarding the old, why not donate it? Local schools, shelters, and non-profits could benefit from the kitchen tools, tables, and chairs you no longer need. This reduces waste and supports those in the community who are trying to build up their own food services or community kitchens. It’s a practical way to repurpose items while making a positive impact.
10. Focus on Sustainability Initiatives
Sustainability efforts, such as reducing waste or sourcing eco-friendly materials, don’t just help the environment—they can also strengthen your relationship with the community. By implementing practices like composting, recycling, or offering biodegradable takeout containers, you signal that you care about the local environment. Hosting community events focused on sustainability can also attract eco-conscious customers and enhance your brand’s image.
Turn Community Support into Increased Bookings & Event Success with Tripleseat
These community efforts will help spread the word about your venue and lead to more business and event bookings. Use Tripleseat to manage those bookings and streamline the event planning process. If you’re not a Tripleseat customer and you’re interested in learning more about Tripleseat’s features, schedule a demo at your convenience to take a closer look.
