Restaurant raises over $9K for food bank in spite of pandemic hardship
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FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas (KFSM) — Chicken Salad Chick, a southern-inspired, fast-casual chicken salad restaurant, has raised a total of $9,400 for a local food bank.
A check will be presented to Northwest Arkansas (NWA) Food Bank, a non-profit food bank serving the hungry in four NWA counties, on Thursday (Jan. 21) at Chicken Salad Chick in Fayetteville.
Last March, restaurants were forced to close their doors temporarily when the coronavirus hit the state and have continued to struggle since reopening with lost revenue resulting from quarantine, the mask mandate, capacity guidelines and all that came with the pandemic.
Even though 2020 was one of the hardest years to hit the restaurant industry in modern U.S. history, many local restaurant owners stepped up to help feed community members in need, even with no guarantee they would be able to provide for their own families before the pandemic was over.
Fayetteville’s Chicken Salad Chick is one of those restaurants.
Last December, the restaurant sold ‘Giving Cards’ to guests for $5, which included $60 worth of coupons and an exclusive offer, raising an impressive $9,400, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting the NWA Food Bank.
Chicken Salad Chick of Fayetteville franchisee, Sharon Etchison, said, “At Chicken Salad Chick, we are passionate about connecting with local groups in our community to help feed the hungry.”
To signify the donation, Chicken Salad Chick’s Fayetteville management team will present a check to the food bank Thursday, which will also serve as the restaurant’s ‘Guest Appreciation Day,’ where all guests will receive a free scoop of Classic Carol chicken salad with no purchase necessary.
“We were honored to partner with Northwest Arkansas Food Bank again this year, and it was wonderful to see our team members and community come together to support this cause,” Etchison said. “We are excited to tie the check presentation into our Guest Appreciation Day because we would not have been able to make this donation without our amazing guests.”
Representatives from the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank will be present to greet guests, help pass out free scoops and receive the check presentation.
The U.S. restaurant sector continues to struggle and more permanent or long-term closures are expected, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association. The trade group said nearly one in six restaurants is closed, either temporarily or permanently, and the industry will lose $240 billion in sales by year-end, according to a Talk Business & Politics report.
To support local restaurant owners and staff who have supported others throughout the COVID-19 crisis, visit them, whether dining-in or ordering to-go, and let them know they are appreciated,
Chicken Salad Chick in Fayetteville is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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