Restaurant Fundraisers Pair Good Food, Good Will
Posted: June 14th, 2007
Omaha World-Herald, June 13, 2006
BY JOHN KEENAN
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
It wasn’t just the greens in the salad bar that drew a crowd to the Amazing Pizza Machine’s grand-opening event.
It was the green—as in dollars—the restaurant planned to donate to local charities.
As part of their grand-opening festivities, restaurants increasingly are hosting fundraisers for local nonprofits.
The Amazing Pizza Machine brought in contributors to three charities – the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Heartland Family Service and Camp Fire USA Midlands Council – as well as children for its April event.
The California Pizza Kitchen also teamed with Camp Fire USA when the eatery opened in late April. The fundraiser earned more than $7,300, the most the national chain has raised through such an event.
And the much-awaited Cheesecake Factory plans a fundraiser when it opens in Omaha in late fall, although a nonprofit partner hasn’t been chosen.
Both the restaurant and the nonprofit benefit.
Melissa Wilson is a consultant for Technomic, a Chicago-based research and consulting firm specializing in restaurants. Part of her job is to help restaurants plan openings.
Charity-tied events have become increasingly popular among national chains over the past three or four years, she said.
“It allows them to introduce the concept to the movers and shakers of the community,” she said. “;These types of events get people into a location to have the experience and absolutely build some community goodwill.”
Anthony Messineo, co-owner of the Amazing Pizza Machine and Valentino’s, said corporations have become much more aware of their civic responsibilities.
“It sounds clichéd, but it’s true,” said the Lincoln-based Messineo. “You just can’t take from a community, you have to give back.”
More traditional openings featuring VIP guests or family and friends of employees provide one-night traffic, Wilson added, but don’t necessarily establish community goodwill.
It’s no coincidence the restaurants match their causes with their customer profile, she said. That might help to bring in repeat customers. The Amazing Pizza Machine, near 139th Street and S Plaza, paired with three family-related charities.
“You wouldn’t invite symphony members to the opening of a (quick-casual restaurant),” Wilson said.
For a nonprofit, a restaurant fundraiser can draw a big crowd. Everybody needs to eat. And there may be less work involved because the facility and food are taken care of.
“Speaking as a nonprofit director, if you try to do a special event, they’re very staff-intensive,” said Penny Parker, executive director of Camp Fire USA Midlands Council.
Typically, the restaurant donates a percent of total sales at the event to the charity. At California Pizza Kitchen, in One Pacific Place, all pizza sales went to the nonprofit. At the Amazing Pizza Machine, $5 of the $7.99 adult meal price went to one of the three charities; patrons got to choose.
Amounts raised range from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars; the total usually depends on the group getting its donors out.
For the Amazing Pizza Machine and California Pizza Kitchen events, Parker provided a list of donors to the restaurants, which mailed out invitations, resulting in large turnouts.
“We brought a lot of business in,” said Parker.
National chains and newly opened restaurants aren’t the only ones holding charity events.
Taste of the Nation’s annual anti-hunger event in April raised about $30,000 for programs to fight hunger. Restaurants also participate in annual events that benefit the Visiting Nurse Association and the Nebraska AIDS Project.
Restaurants also have donated portions of their profits to hurricane relief or held fundraisers for families of regulars when there’s a sudden death or medical crisis.
For newcomers in town, an opening fundraiser can create instant fans.
At the Amazing Pizza Machine event, Nancy Conley, her husband and their two daughters enjoyed the food and amusement area - the fast-track go-cart racing and the “lights-out” miniature golf course.
Since that visit, the Conleys have talked up the restaurant. Their eldest daughter has diabetes.
Parker, too, has made it a point to plug the restaurant.
“They were interested not only in promoting their restaurant, but also the mission of a local organization,”; she said. “That’s important.”
