A popular restaurant chain will provide free dinner to 6000 of its customers across the country but have asked for a simple favour in return.
Modern Aussie restaurant Rashays is encouraging those who are gifted a meal on them to “pay it forward” and spend that money at other local small businesses that have been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Co-founder Rami Ykmour announced the offer was available to customers across all 32 locations in NSW, ACT, Victoria and Queensland and was applicable to dinners at 7pm AEDT or 6pm in the Sunshine State on Tuesday, February 22.
“Businesses, particularly small businesses, have faced extreme hardship over the course of the pandemic,” he said.
“We hope that through this act of giving back, we will see $200,000 make its way back to local businesses to kickstart the return of business and a more ‘normal’ state of operations.”
Mr Ykmour took to social media saying it had been almost two years since the nation went into lockdown and faced losing his business like many other Australians.
“I still remember that moment when we had to close and thought that was the end of Rashays and I'm sure every other business out there, especially small businesses, thought that was the end.
“We have come through this. Some of us are still fighting and some will continue to fight and I’m sure we’ll all come out of this together.
“Rashays is going to celebrate the fact we have it’s been able to keep it’s doors open and pivot its business and we’re xjmtzywgoing to celebrate with our customers who have helped us stay alive.”
The Australian family owned chain opened its first restaurant in 1998 in Liverpool, NSW.