4.9.2024
GiftAMeal, the innovative cause-marketing program that turns customer photos into meals for local families in need, announces the launch of its Grand Opening package tailored for restaurants seeking to make a meaningful impact as they enter new markets. Starbird Chicken, one of the nation’s first super-premium fast food crispy chicken concepts, will utilize the Grand Opening package for an upcoming restaurant opening in San Francisco, CA. This unique initiative provides a seamless way for restaurants to connect with their community while giving back.
The Grand Opening package offers opportunities for restaurants to kickstart community involvement while making a tangible difference in the fight against local hunger, all with no effort for the restaurant’s staff. Restaurants can launch the program within just a couple of weeks. They simply put up promotional materials (e.g. table tents) so customers know how to participate, and then customers scan the QR code, take a photo of their food or drink, and GiftAMeal donates to a local food bank to help provide a meal to a neighbor in need. With GiftAMeal, restaurants can create an emotional connection with their patrons on a deeper level, demonstrating their commitment to social responsibility and community welfare. They also gain the benefit of their customers promoting their brand on social media to all their friends in a positive way.
Notably, Starbird Chicken implemented GiftAMeal for their Grand Openings throughout Los Angeles and is now taking advantage of the Grand Opening Package for their upcoming opening in San Francisco.
“I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible impact of GiftAMeal during our grand openings in LA. Now, as we gear up for our new location in southern San Francisco this month, we’re thrilled to extend this initiative to all of our stores. The overwhelmingly positive responses we’ve received reaffirms our commitment to using technology for good and fostering community engagement in every location we serve,” says Casey Hilder, Director of Marketing at Starbird.
GiftAMeal’s Grand Opening Package is structured to support restaurants through their initial expansion phase, offering benefits tailored to each location’s specific needs. Participating restaurants can activate GiftAMeal over a three-month period (with the option to extend it as an evergreen program), harnessing the program’s potential to drive customer engagement and community goodwill during this pivotal time.
Key features of GiftAMeal’s Grand Opening Package include:
- Customized guest experience to match the restaurant’s brand colors to provide a native feel
- Design assistance for physical and digital promotional materials
- Access and rights to the photos taken by customers, so that the restaurant can share them on its social media
- Flexible month-to-month plans post-grand opening period, allowing restaurants to continue their partnership with GiftAMeal on their own terms
- Administration of the monetary donations to the local food bank near each location
The rate for this package varies from $39-$55 per month depending on the number of locations that participate. GiftAMeal covers the cost of the donations to the food banks each month, with no extra cost to the restaurant.
“After successfully partnering with leading restaurant brands like Starbird and Snarf’s Sandwiches for their grand openings, we’re excited to extend our offering to new partners embarking on their growth journey,” says Andrew Glantz, Founder & CEO of GiftAMeal. “Grand openings necessitate a community’s support, and what better way to garner that support than by showing that your restaurant is also supporting its community?”
Founded in 2015, GiftAMeal helps provide a meal to a family in need in a restaurant’s local community every time a guest takes a photo of their order from a partner restaurant. Through over 950 established restaurant partnerships, the GiftAMeal program has helped provide over 1.85 million meals to those in need across 38 states — one smile at a time. GiftAMeal received the Industry Hero Award by Hospitality Technology in 2023, and earned 1st Place in the Global Impact Awards.
GiftAMeal remains committed to making philanthropy accessible and impactful for restaurants of all sizes, ensuring that every partnership contributes positive changes at the local level.
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