NEW YORK — MealPal — which services Toronto and more than a dozen cities in the U.S. — has announced a new initiative to drive $10 million in donations to restaurants impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
MeaPal is a meal app that charges a monthly subscription fee for a set number of meals. It allows you to reserve a meal from a nearby restaurant and then collect it at a specified time.
Through its new program, customers can donate a month of a MealPal membership to local small brands and independent restaurants most affected by the outbreak.
The rapid decline in restaurant sales since the COVID-19 outbreak is staggering. In a typical week, MealPal drives more than $1 million in sales to restaurants in 20 markets globally, but that figure has dropped by nearly 60 per cent in recent weeks. Additionally, MealPal partner restaurants report delivery and walk-in business is down more than 90 per cent in the last week.
“Restaurants are at the centre of everything we do,” says Mary Biggins, co-founder, CEO of MealPal. “COVID-19 has been devastating for our partners, so we’ve shifted our platform to help drive much-needed capital as they navigate this challenging time. If we don’t pull together as a global community to support restaurants now, many will not make it to the other side of this crisis. We’re committed to supporting them.”
Donations will go directly towards supporting local restaurants. Consumers may donate an amount of their choosing, with a recommended donation of either a 12-meal membership ($75) or a 20-meal membership ($125).
