restaurant-revitalization-program

The Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity

The Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity


ProgramsProductsSpecial InitiativesMilestones

Behavioral Design Team
Designing for Opportunity
Enterprise Data Solutions
Restaurant Revitalization Program (RRP)
Service Design Studio
Social Innovation Fund (SIF)
Young Men's Initiative (YMI)

Behavioral Design Team

Designing for Opportunity

Enterprise Data Solutions

Restaurant Revitalization Program (RRP)

Service Design Studio

Social Innovation Fund (SIF)

Young Men's Initiative (YMI)


Restaurant Revitalization Program (RRP)

Money to help restaurant workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis and advance equity in the recovery process

The Restaurant Revitalization Program (RRP) provides up to $30,000 to select restaurants to pay unemployed or under-employed workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis. This 6- to 12-week program helps restaurants that want to support their workers’ financial well-being and help feed community members in need.

The City is partnering with One Fair Wage’s High Road Kitchens program, which provides flexible funding for supplies, food, or other needs for restaurants that commit to One Fair Wage’s employment principles.

Awards

To date RRP and the High Road Kitchens Program has awarded 94 restaurants more than $2.3 million collectively. The programs will direct $3 million into hardest-hit communities to support over 100 restaurants across the five boroughs.

Please see below for the list of 95 awarded restaurants.

232 Bleecker
3 Lafayette
Achilles Heel
Amali
Baodega
Bar Bruno
Bar Marseille
Barepas
Barfly
Bascom Catering and Events
Bean & Bean Coffee
Bleu Fin Bar and Grill
Brain Food
Brooklyn Beso
Brooklyn Diner
Caravan of Dreams
Carlos and Gabby's
Casa Nomad
Cibo E Vino
City Tamale
CleaverCo
Corazón de Mexico
Daybreak
Dear Mama Coffee
Earth Café

Eat Gai
Egg
El Valle Típico
Freshly Made
Good Enough to Eat
Harlem Hookah
Hide-Chan Ramen
Hot Potato House
Hunky Dory
Jajaja Plantas Mexicana
Jam Hut
Justino’s Pizzeria
Kaikagetsu NYC
KimGaNae
Kopitiam
La Morada
La Palapa
Lagman House
Lakou Cafe
Little Tong Noodle Shop
LOCALS Brooklyn
Loi Estiatorio
Luconi NYC

Mamma’s Famous Pizza
Marlow Bistro
Meadowsweet
Mimi Cheng's Dumplings
Mistura Peruana
Nowon
O'Neill's Restaurant
Olmsted
Parq Sports Bar and Grill
Pies -N- Thighs
Pomp & Circumstance
Q’Kachapa
Q44 Bar & Grill
Reverence
Rincón Salvadoreño
Rustik Tavern
Sangria Tapas Bar & Restaurant
Sapoara
Savannah Cafe
Seis Vecinos
Settepani
Skäl
Slick Willie Table & Bar
Soogil
Spicy Moon

Spicy Shallot
Stand Up Tea Garden
Sushi Tokyo
Talia's Steakhouse & Bar
Telio Restaurant
The Cecil Steakhouse
The Corners
The Expat
The Nourish Spot
The Queensboro
Tradesman
TRI Lounge & Café
Tsion Café
Tsismis Restaurant
Tzarevna
Xstasy Bar & Lounge
Yemen Café
Zatar Café & Bistro
Zatar Cafe & Bistro - Park Slope
Zen Yai

*The application for the Restaurant Revitalization Program is now closed.

More about the program

Restaurants applied for up to a maximum of $30,000 to pay the wages of five or more workers for 6–12 weeks.

Restaurants pay wages upfront and submit records for NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) to pay them back. HRA can provide 25% of the total funds granted to each restaurant at the start of the program.

HRA reimburses the restaurant for wages of $20 per hour plus up to 25% of the required fringe benefits (such as social security, medicare, etc.) for the program period. Restaurants do not need to pay employees $20 per hour after the program ends but must commit to paying at least minimum wage over time.

Workers in the program prepare regular meals plus free meals for community members affected by COVID-19.

The restaurants must keep and share payroll information and report on wages and other practices during and after the program.

The restaurants should follow all local guidelines for COVID-19-related safety measures.

Restaurants can also apply for One Fair Wage’s High Road Kitchens program, which offers extra money for supplies, food, or other needs.

How restaurants were selected

To be eligible for RRP, you must:

Plan to pay all employees at least the non-tipped minimum wage ($15/hour with tips on top) within five years of your restaurant returning to regular practices

Agree to serve at least 500 free meals to community members affected by COVID-19, including those who are food insecure, essential workers, or others facing challenges

Selection into the program also considered additional criteria, including:

Commitment to “high road” employer practices that promote livable wages; greater race and gender equity in recruitment, hiring, promotion, training, and evaluation; and other worker-friendly conditions

Number of free meals above the 500 minimum that you propose to serve

Location in a high-needs area

Use of local or regional produce and goods that support the regional system’s needs

The restaurants’ need and ability to take part in the program

Application Process

The application for the Restaurant Revitalization is now closed.

Other funding available

NYC is partnering with One Fair Wage’s High Road Kitchens program. The program offers flexible funding for supplies, food, or other needs for restaurants that commit to One Fair Wage’s employment principles.