LET’S LUNCH: 20 - 30 JULY 2020
Supporting local restaurants with the world’s biggest lunch date #letslunch
The hospitality sector is, undoubtedly, one of the worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Italy and Spain alone, lost food service revenues will amount to around €4.5 billion per month whilst the UK is forecast to lose nearly £2.5 billion in sales per month. (source: Rabobank)
Amigo del Dia (friend of the day) is a global, non-profit initiative that aims to support independently-owned restaurants and bars through a series of world-wide marketing campaigns with no cost to the restaurants.
The first campaign is LET’S LUNCH, a global celebration of friends reconnecting over a lunch special from a local restaurant - takeaway, delivery or dine in. The aspiration of this campaign is to generate awareness and PR for local restaurants, helping them rebuild and reconnect with their communities.
LET’S LUNCH will take place over an 11-day period, from 20 July - 30 July 2020. These dates were chosen to coincide with two key events: 20 July is the annual Argentinian celebration “Día Del Amigo”, a commemoration of friendship; and 30 July is UN International Day of Friendship.
Lunch Specials are a great way to engage with customers and keep menus competitive. They offer restaurants & chefs a way to get creative by developing sustainable and cost effective menus.
Free registration is now open without the need for restaurants to provide their final lunch special menu. To register, restaurants simply need to provide the combinations they may offer as part of their menu.
The amigodelgia platform offers restaurants a way to attract traffic directly to their own website and social media platforms, removing any 3rd party commissions.
Amigo del Dia’s founders bring extensive experience of organising global events which achieve high engagement on Social Media. The idea was conceived early in the lockdown by two Barcelona-based entrepreneurs: Spanish-Australian marketer Chelsea Anthon and American restaurant owner Erin Nixon, along with social media strategist Mila Nikolova and food-tour guide Lior Shechori. Chelsea is the brains behind International Sherry Week, an annual event driven by social media and held in more than 2500 restaurants and bars in 30 countries.
“Let’s Lunch highlights a problem area in general for restaurants and bars, because lunchtime trade was struggling way before this pandemic. People think nothing of spending €10-15 on a terrible factory-made sandwich or wrap with processed ingredients. For the same money, you could be enjoying up to three courses of excellent, tasty food made with love, and a drink! It’s a no-brainer for me.’’ OWEN MORGAN - Owner Bar 44, family-owned UK restaurant group
“The past 3 months have been extremely hard for those who work in this business, but it is the next 3 months that will define whether a restaurant survives or not. Lets Lunch is a needed and welcomed awareness campaign, bringing together friends and colleagues and reconnecting them with their favourite venues. For us, it will be a joy to once again see the many we haven’t seen for a while.” FRANK DILERNIA Owner Tapavino Group Sydney
How can restaurants get involved?
1) Create a lunch special. See How-to guide
2) Register – with no cost
3) Spread the word – share on Social Media
CONTACTS AND LINKS
To find out more: [email protected]
To follow us on Social Media: @amigodeldia on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook
www.amigodeldia.org
