Pubs and restaurants offer free Christmas meals despite tough year of trading

Hospitality operators are offering free or cut-price Christmas meals as a gesture of goodwill to their local communities during the festive season.

Mick and Sarah Dore, who run the Alexandra pub in London’s Wimbledon, have been offering a free lunch to anyone spending Christmas day alone for the past seven years.

The initiative grew out of Mick’s tradition of tweeting an offer of a free pint for people who visit the pub alone on Christmas day.

One guest inspired him to extend this to an offer of a family meal, which turned into an annual provision of a free Christmas lunch.

He told The Caterer: “The first year we did it, about 23 people came. I’ll be very surprised if less than 150 or so come this year. We did 160 last year, so it’s got quite big now. We have loads of people volunteering to work and local schools donate. We really enjoy doing it. It’s the best day of the year.”

The initiative comes at a time when restaurant and pub owners are struggling with skyrocketing energy bills, soaring food prices, ongoing staff shortages and train strikes.

The Alexandra, which has built a reputation for serving the community, has also received “very generous” food donations from local supermarkets for this year’s event.

Mick added: “It’s different [this year] in terms of the economic situation for people, but I don’t think the need in terms of how lonely people are has changed. People are sitting at home for whatever reason. We don’t ever judge. People just have their own reasons and they come down and our job is to make sure they get a great day.”

He described the event as a “lightning conductor for the local community”, adding: “We’re all in it together, so it’s just a question of our opportunity to put something back. The giving part is as important as the receiving.”

Meanwhile in Birmingham, Shamim HM, founder of independent fast food chicken shop Filthy Wings, has launched a Christmas initiative to feed 100 children £1 chicken wings every day for the month of December.

Her business has also been facing challenges to such as managing energy, packaging, and labour costs.

Despite these difficulties, she has ensured that children under 12 are eligible for chicken or cauli bites, a portion of fries or tater tots and a Fruit Shoot at her restaurant.

HM told The Caterer: “As restaurateurs, we have warm spaces, hygienic facilities, and piping hot food. How can we not be of service to the community, knowing that kids are going to sleep hungry? We’re on a mission to feed disadvantaged children in our community and raise awareness on the matter too.”

The money raised from the campaign will be donated to local communities in need of household essentials, clothing, books, and education.

The Christmas event is part of a larger philanthropic project, which will see the launch of a talent academy for children known as the Filthy Wings Trust.

In Norwich, the Farmyard restaurant held a free dinner for 50 people on 4 December, which was supported by local suppliers such as CH Wine Merchants, Dozen bakery, Fen Farm Dairy and Intwood Farm.

Other charitable initiatives, such as the Felix Project, are due to offer free hot meals cooked from surplus food donated by local supermarkets, restaurants, food wholesalers and farms in the new year.