A sample of the comments under Pancho's Facebook post about the taco box give-away.
Pancho’s Southwestern Grille is a beloved institution in Green, Ohio, so when owner Maury Sullivan realized that SNAP recipients were not going to get their food benefits due to the federal government shut-down, he snapped into action with a “Taco Tuesday” give-away.
“We support the community whenever and however we can,” Sullivan says.
The restaurant posted on its social media that guests who show their SNAP card and a valid ID between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Tuesday could get a free taco box -- dubbed "The Helping Box" -- which includes 12 tacos, beans and rice, enough to feed a family of 4 to 6 people.
“We delivered 21 meals for people on Tuesday,” Sullivan says. “The recipients were all very thankful. We had decided to do it just the Friday before, so we were thrilled for the first attempt.”
Sullivan says the restaurant’s social media posts got wide play, and they weren’t sure how many SNAP recipients would show up. The number turned out to be manageable.
“The kitchen staff was a little nervous because we didn’t know how many people would come, but we orchestrated it well,” he says. “We’ll continue it as long as the shutdown goes.”
Is your restaurant doing something special to help during these challenging times? Please let jus know by emailing Ed Avis, edavis@elrestaurante.com, and we’ll share it with our readers!