Many people around the world are struggling during the pandemic. So, one Virginia restaurant decided to help out those in need. The beloved Perfectly Frank has decided it will give out one free meal a day to hungry and homeless customers – no questions asked!
Beloved Virginia Restaurant
Want a hot dog while in Norfolk, Virginia? Locals will recommend only one place: Perfectly Frank. The beloved hot dog spot is a staple of the community, so much so that they called daily to ensure the restaurant would survive through the coronavirus lockdown. Now, those same customers pay for many meals each visit – some not even for themselves. That’s right! They pay for plates of food for the hungry! The owner of Perfectly Frank, Tarah Morris, designed an incredible new system after seeing the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each paying customer can make a meal donation when they come in for an iconic hot dog. Afterward, that receipt is placed on a special board, named “Franks for Friends.” Anyone can come in at any time, take a receipt, bring it to the register, and enjoy a free meal, no questions asked.
It all started when someone came in and gifted $100 for each employee of the Perfectly Frank. However, some of the employees returned it, thinking Morris could donate it to a worthy cause. “We felt like it was kind of a nice chunk to do something bigger,” she said. So, the process of giving free meals to those in need began!
Perfectly Frank’s Amazing Customers
Morris says that not asking about people’s financial situation is an essential part of the process. “We don’t ask any questions. We don’t need to know what the details are,” she explained. “They could be eating it themselves. They could be bringing it to a neighbor. They could be dropping it off to a homeless guy on the corner.”
As you might expect, the board has also caused a feeling of goodwill to spring up in both customers and employees. In addition to the countless receipts hanging there, there are also many positive messages and affirmations posted. Notes like “If you want more kindness in the world, put it there,” help those going through hard times. “We don’t even feel like we’re doing anything,” Morris said. “Customers are donating money for us to buy meals for people in need.”
Free Meal For Everyone
Above all else, Morris wants to give back to the community that gave her so much – especially those in need. “We know that we’re in existence because people choose us, and we’re grateful,” Morris said. She’s forever thankful Virginians have fallen so in love with her restaurant. And they’ve decided to repay her by fully funding the “Franks for Friends” board. Customers have purchased enough free meals that less than 50% of the receipts were redeemed in the first two weeks, despite the pandemic. Morris hopes that word of the board continues to grow and spread in the coming months.
“The giving has been more plentiful than the receiving,” Morris said. “We have a clipboard with, I don’t know, 100 more tickets on deck, waiting to go up on the board. People want to help. They are driven by helping somebody.”
Sources: MSN, Pilot Online