Philanthropic Restaurants: eat good for the greater good (part I)

charitable philanthropic restaurants

What’s better than eating good food?  Eating good food that helps do good.  “Wait, what do you mean?” you ask.  Well, all you have to do is go out to eat.  Think about it.  You go about your normal day, go out to eat and not only do you get to immerse yourself in the deliciousness of the food itself, you get to feel good knowing that you’re contributing to a higher cause.

Thankfully, there are a number of philanthropic restaurants that allow you do to just that.  They usually contribute a percentage of their revenue or profits to food-related causes like preventing food waste and feeding the hungry.  So, it is possible to eat your way to being a good person. Help great causes by eating.  Everyone wins.

Where can I eat foods that contribute to the greater good?  Here’s a compilation of some of the best restaurants across the country that regularly donate to charitable causes, many of which also allow patrons to pay what they can or volunteer. 

Boston, MA: Panera Cares Community Cafe
(take what you need, pay what you can)

philanthropic charitable restaurants boston massachusetts
photo: Panera Cares Community Cafe Fans on Facebook

Philadelphia, PA: Rooster Soup Co.
(100% of profits donated to the local needy)

philanthropic charitable restaurants philadelphia pennsylvania
photo: Rooster Soup Company on Facebook

Red Bank, NJ: JBJ Soul Kitchen
(owned by John Bon Jovi, pay or volunteer)

philanthropic charitable restaurants red bank new jersey
photo: JBJ Soul Kitchen on Facebook

Portland, OR: Oregon Public House
(non-profit pub that donates profits to charity)

philanthropic charitable restaurants portland oregon
photo:  Oregon Public House on Facebook

New York, NY: COFFEED (donates up to 10% of revenue to charities)

philanthropic charitable companies new york
photo: COFFEED on Facebook

Denver, CO: SAME Cafe
(take what you need, pay what you can or volunteer)

philanthropic charitable restaurant denver colorado
photo: Same Cafe on Facebook

Dayton, OH: one bistro
(pay what you can or volunteer)

photo: ONE Bistro

San Diego, CA: Tacos Libertad
(100% of profits donated to local charities)

philanthropic charitable restaurants san diego
photo: Tacos Libertad on Facebook

San Francisco, CA: Mission Chinese Food (donates 75¢ per entree to food banks)

philanthropic charitable restaurants san francisco
photo: Mission Chinese Food on Facebook

Looking for more restaurants that participate in food-related charities?   If so, check out these links for participating restaurants near you:

Dine Out for No Kid Hungry: https://dineout.nokidhungry.org/participating-restaurants
Restaurants supporting Round It Up America: http://rounditupamerica.org/participating-restaurants.php

Inspired to do more for your community?  Donate your extra time and/or money to these charitable campaigns and foundations:

Feeding America: http://www.feedingamerica.org/take-action/
Food Recovery Network: https://www.foodrecoverynetwork.org/donate/
No Kid Hungry: https://www.nokidhungry.org/give/overview
We Don’t Waste: https://www.wedontwaste.org/get-involved/

Hello! I'm Kristina

Kristina Reynolds is the Founder & CEO of Glutto and an alumna of the University of California, San Diego. She writes articles & posts for Glutto Digest with insights from fellow industry experts. Furthermore, she is the author of The Fittest Food Lovers: How EVERY BODY Can be Incredibly Fit and Still Enjoy Food, a collaborative philanthropic book with proceeds going to charities that fight world hunger.