The Great American Takeout
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.
The coalition's regional and national brands 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.
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:
- Post on social media in advance of the event, encouraging friends and followers to take part with the Hashtag #TheGreatAmericanTakeout.
- Engage friends, family and colleagues to support their local restaurants by ordering takeout meals.
- Order delivery or pick-up for at least one meal on Tuesday, sharing photos on social media and tagging them with #TheGreatAmericanTakeout.
“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.