It’s no secret that we aren’t the biggest fans of takeout. But – and this is a big but – we're a year into a pandemic and restaurants are still suffering. 

So, for those of you using takeout as your means of support, we urge you to keep these things in mind to minimize your environmental impact and maximize your direct-to-restaurant dollars.

1. Ask for minimal packaging whenever possible
2. Order directly from a restaurant when possible
3. Pick-up is preferred to delivery in cases where it’s foot/bike vs. car
4. Order in bulk from small restaurants for work functions, weddings, birthdays, etc  (less individual meal packaging & more profitable for restaurant) 

When it comes to food delivery, choose platforms that actually help restaurants, like Traiilo (Brooklyn), Black and Mobile (Philadelphia), ChopEats (national), or Runningman (LA). 

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For those of you who are determined to kick your takeout habit once and for all, there are plenty of other, often more sustainable, options available.

Non-Donation Alternatives to Takeout

• Purchase Gift Cards! 
• Buy Merch! 
• Purchase Meal Kits/food products over takeout when available (overall less packaging per person)
• Shop food products from restaurants nationwide here

Donation Alternatives To Takeout

For Restaurant/Service Workers (and their families):

• Another Round Another Rally 
• Big Table (Seattle, Spokane, and San Diego)
• Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund (national)
• The CoCo Fund (national)
• Colorado Restaurant Association Angel Relief Fund (Colorado)
• CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees (national)
• Food Chain Workers Alliance
• The Giving Kitchen (Georgia)
• Golden Rule Charity (national)
• Go Tip ‘Em 
• Heart of a Dinner (New York City)
• Leveler.info (national)
• The LEE Initiative (Louisville)
• One Fair Wage (California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C.)
• PDX Tip Jar (Portland)
• Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington Educated Eats / Hook Hall Helps (D.C.)
• Restaurants Care (California)
• ROAR x Robin Hood Foundation’s restaurant worker relief fund.
• ROC United
• Service Workers’ Coalition (Brooklyn)
• Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Program (Houston)
• TX Restaurant Relief Fund (Texas)
• The United States Bartenders’ Guild COVID-19 Relief Campaign (national)

For Restaurants:

• Boston Area COVID-19 Restaurant Emergency Fund
• Charlottesville Restaurant Community Fund
• COVID-19 Rhode Island Hospitality Relief Fund
• Eat Learn Play x Restaurants for the People
• James Beard Foundation Open For Good Relief Fund

• Off the Menu Restaurant Relief Fund (LA)

• Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants (ROAR)

• Restaurant Strong Fund (national)

• Seattle Hospitality Emergency Fund (Seattle)
• Sonoma Family Meal Restaurant Network Response (Sonoma County, CA)
• Stock—100% of proceeds from merch go to hourly Chicago workers (Chicago)
• Welcome to Chinatown  Made in China Town Program (New York City)
• Welcome to Chinatown Longevity Fund (New York City)
• Why Hunger - Rapid Response Fund (national)

For Farmers/Growers:

• City Harvest (New York City)
• Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund (Detroit)
• Dining at a Distance (international)
• The Farmer Fund (Georgia)
• Farmworker Justice (national)
• Good Farm Fund
• Good Farmer Fund (Seattle)
• PCUN Farmworker Emergency Fund (Oregon)

Until we dine (in) again, let’s dine responsibly for our communities and our planet 👩🏽‍🌾