Grubhub today announced the Restaurant Winterization Grant, a new program that will provide financial support to restaurants as we move into winter and outdoor dining becomes a challenge in many areas of the country.
Done in partnership with The Greg Hill Foundation’s Restaurant Strong Fund, the program will grant $10,000 to “eligible independent restaurants,” according to a press release sent to The Spoon. The funds are intended to provide restaurants with “additional infrastructure and equipment to extend outdoor dining” along with more personal protective equipment for employees.
Wintertime’s arrival coincides with record highs of coronavirus cases in the U.S. As far as restaurants are concerned, the combination of the two makes indoor dining risky in many cases, nonexistent in others. Up to now, restaurants have been able to offset some of that loss with new developments for outdoor dining plans. Now, businesses will need to innovate on those innovations in order to continue to serve customers without expecting them to eat in the midst of 30-degree temperatures or wintery mixes.
Grubhub’s new program is supported by a $2 million grant recommendation from its Grubhub Community Relief Fund, started back in March as a way to support charitable organizations helping restaurants.
The new program joins other efforts around the country to winterize outdoor dining. Recently, the city of Chicago held a contest asking residents to redesign the outdoor dining experience for winter. Elsewhere, Washington D.C.’s Office of Nightlife and Culture announced a $4 million grant program to help restaurants cover the cost of tents, domes, heaters, furnishings and other outdoor-dining-related equipment. Grubhub is the first third-party delivery service to dedicate a fund towards outdoor dining.
Those interested in applying for funds can do so starting today through the aforementioned Restaurant Strong Fund. Restaurants located in Chicago, New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia, and which have “five or fewer” locations are eligible to apply. The application period ends Nov. 21, and Grubhub has said funds will be distributed by the end of the month.
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