To Those That Ordered #TakeOut—Thank You.
As we reflect back to early 2020, we remember sitting around a restaurant table with friends and family. We shared a tasting flight of our favorite craft beverages, paired with an ample menu. Our fight against COVID-19 changed the Virginia food and beverage market, like flipping a light switch off.
Sadly, some iconic Virginia restaurants closed their doors forever. But, thankfully, some were able to pivot to new ideas.
Hello…Family Meal Deal! We first experience a Family Meal Deal from Devils Backbone in Nelson County, Virginia. The DW&S HQ is in the area, and several of our writers live close-by. We each found the boxes full of food to enjoy at home. Just follow the easy-to-understand instructions and re-heat your favorite from DB in your own kitchen. Enough to feed a huge family, or two people for days. (Now, we are looking for the restaurant that has the Family Diet Box)
Soon, #TakeOut meal deals flooded social media. Tacos to feed a crowd, fried chicken for at-home picnics. Creativity abounded, and so did the options. Curbside Pick-Up became the catch-phrase. #TakeOutTuesday became a social media tag, a national campaign.
That’s when a public Facebook group caught our attention, @RVA Dine-Take Out & Delivery Options. Started by Kevin Clay, a Richmond Food & Beverage marketer and owner of Big Spoon Co, the public group soon went viral. As of today, the FaceBook group has 16,777 members. If you want to see some awesome foodie photos, this is the group for you. If you are craving a particular food, just post, and many will tell you where in the RVA metro area to find it.
Soon, public social media groups opened in other Virginia regions. #TakeOut provided some income to restaurants and their staff during a challenging time. We would like to thank each of you that purchased, ordered direct delivery, or used Curbside Pick-up. You did make a difference.
As we are writing this story, most of Virginia has moved into Phase One of recovery from COVID. Many restaurants are now offering outdoor dining. Some are waiting until a later phase to offer on-site dining. The best news is that everyone that wants to support a Virginia restaurant has many options. Take Out, delivery, family meal kits, on-site patio dining, and possibly indoor dining soon. If you do not feel comfortable dining on-site, then please still order #TakeOut …every order helps get the Virginia food industry back on its feet.
If you like Virginia food adventures, check out these Virginia food adventures.
