Social Costa Mesa has been busy selling and giving away food. Owner Andrew Dorsey, who also owns Social in Huntington Beach, has been giving away Social Care Packages every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. to anyone in the hospitality industry who has been furloughed or unemployed because of COVID-19.
“I wanted to do something positive—I was spending time watching the news and wallowing in the darkness, so (I) started a ‘Serving Those Who Serve’ campaign and have been raising funds to support the free meals on GoFundMe,” Dorsey said. “I thought someone needed to step up. We kicked it off on Good Day LA and had a drive-thru with 300 cars.”
Dorsey gave away food, water toilet paper and other needed items. In addition to charity work, he’s open for takeout to the public with key menu items, including the popular Drive Thru Burger. He’s also selling “Anti-Social” cocktails, and he’s launched weekend brunch 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Dorsey is also mulling over what the new normal will be once he reopens his restaurant.
“We’ll be keeping up with the trends—wearing masks, gloves, tables 6 feet apart. We’re designing different ways to reopen as we wait for when the state and county allows us to do it.”
Dorsey admitted that if he has to reduce capacity by 50%, it will be tough to operate, but he feels bad for those “who do not get relief money or access to more funds. People are dumping funds into their business hoping it will survive.”
Dorsey thinks upward of 30% of restaurants will close their doors for good, which will result in a trickle-down effect impacting city taxes, produce vendors, food vendors, and even cleaning crews.
“It’s absurd,” Dorsey stated.
To contribute to Dorsey’s GoFundMe campaign to feed unemployed restaurant workers, visit GoFundMe.com and search for Social Restaurant.