Save local restaurants. Order more damn takeout!
The companies today launched a new national awareness campaign, “Order In, Help Out,” aimed at reminding customers that the small act of ordering takeout can make a big difference for independent restaurants that have been suffering for months during the coronavirus pandemic. With indoor dining restricted or banned, many establishments have turned to takeout as their primary means of staying afloat—and many are hanging on by a thread.
Ordering up pad thai or pasta or papadzules from your neighborhood joint may not seem like it will make much difference in this COVID-battered economy, but new research conducted by Teneo on behalf of Amex found that takeout orders can generate an average of $700 million a day for the independent restaurant industry. For restaurants, that could mean the difference between surviving the pandemic or permanent closure.
To help remind consumers to patronize independent restaurants, Amex and Resy—the reservation platform it acquired in 2019—are using their social channels to push the #TakeoutTuesday hashtag, through which hangry customers are encouraged to share their takeout orders and spread the love.
“With Order In, Help Out, we hope to inspire people to help keep our local restaurants in business, especially during the winter months, one of the slowest and toughest times of the year,” said Elizabeth Rutledge, Amex’s chief marketing officer, in a statement.
As part of the campaign, Amex is offering new dining incentives on some of its cards, including the opportunity to earn up to $220 in “statement credits” after they order takeout (or dine in, if that’s allowed) at a U.S. restaurant. The offer runs through the end of the year, with the following cards participating:
Amex says any restaurant can participate in the campaign by visiting the Shop Small website, where they can print out collateral like posters and stickers.
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