Restaurants ask consumers to join #TheGreatAmericanTakeout amid coronavirus fallout

A coalition of restaurants is asking U.S. consumers to participate in “The Great American Takeout” on Tuesday, March 24, as the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic continues.

Coalition brands, which include California Pizza Kitchen, Chevys Fresh Mex, El Torito, The Habit Restaurants Inc., Jason’s Deli, Lemonade, Modern Market, Noodles & Company, Panera Bread and Veggie Grill, are encouraging U.S. consumers to order at least one delivery or pick-up meal on Tuesday to show support for the restaurant community, which is struggling after state and city closures of dining rooms to stem the spread of the COVID-19 infection.

“This is no longer about the survival of individual restaurants,” said Russ Bendel, Habit Restaurants CEO, in a statement. “It’s about the future of our industry. And time has run out. Together, we must act to support each other and our communities in unprecedented ways.”

The campaign is also aimed at increasing awareness about the challenges restaurants face.

“It will hopefully also raise awareness for how vulnerable restaurant businesses and their employees are during this difficult time,” said Mike Mirkil, a restaurant consultant and former marketing executive who founded Strategy for Sale.

Some of the brands in the coalition, such as Veggie Grill and Xperience Restaurant Group (Chevys and El Torito), are with the ad agency behind the campaign, Los Angeles-based High Wide & Handsome. Other brands participating include: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Tocaya Organica, Torchy’s Tacos, Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que, Primanti Brothers, Tropical Smoothie Café  Shari’s Restaurant Group, Beefsteak, Which Wich Superior Sandwiches, ZaLat Pizza, Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill, California Tortilla, Qdoba Mexican Eats and Black Bear Diner.

Related:How restaurants are stepping up to help their communities during the coronavirus pandemic, from providing toilet paper to meal kits

The coalition said in a statement: “Because dine-in meals are no longer being served at most restaurants, delivery and pick-up are the only ways to support these struggling businesses.”

A spokesperson said interested restaurants could reach the coalition team on social media, including @TheGATakeout on Twitter and @thegreatamericantakeout on Instagram, or "they can simply participate by promoting this initiative to their social media community using #TheGreatAmericanTakeout."

To participate in The Great American Takeout, the coalition is asking consumers to:

“After The Great American Takeout, Americans are encouraged to continue supporting local restaurants and industry employees by ordering takeout regularly throughout the weeks and months ahead,” the coalition said in a statement.

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected]

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