#KeepBooneHealthy Takeout Tuesday Promotion Concludes with over 83,000 meals distributed in 9 weeks

Over a nine-week period, Boone-area restaurants and food distribution programs reported 83,313 meals distributed as part of the #KeepBooneHealthy Takeout Tuesday promotion. The program was created to help provide visibility to restaurants and food distribution programs as they transitioned to takeout-only operations at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis.

Customers placed orders with local restaurants, utilized curbside, takeout, and delivery options, and were encouraged to enjoy their meal in the confines of their home. Customers posted pictures of meals across various social media platforms and tagged posts with the name of the restaurant and the #KeepBooneHealthy hashtag.

The community count was generated from the reporting of total meals served from 38 area restaurants and the Watauga County Schools meal distribution program during the duration of the program. The program saw three weeks with over 10,000 meals reported, with a high of 11,007 meals reported in Week 5.

“We can’t thank our community enough for the way they rallied around our local restaurant and community food distribution partners over the last nine weeks,” said David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. “The goal of the program was to educate our local community about how they could continue to support our local restaurants during the Stay-at-Home order, in a way that was safe and responsible, and that also would help keep as much food available in our community as possible. We’d like to thank AppHealthCare for providing assistance and support in establishing the guidelines we used to make this a safe experience for all involved. The visibility generated during this promotion helped inform consumers on how the takeout process worked in the COVID-19 world, how they could stay safe while supporting their favorite restaurants, and helped ensure no one food source would be overburdened during this time.”

In addition to supporting area restaurants and utilizing the Watauga County Schools meal distribution program, customers also purchased meals for Hospitality House clients and staff. Social distancing guidelines altered the organization’s ability to prepare meals for individuals and families that were experiencing loss of income and homelessness during this period.

“This program highlighted the relationship between local restaurants and their customers,” said Jackson. “As so many things about life changed so quickly, seeing a familiar face once a week helped provide a bit of normalcy for customers and restaurateurs alike. Witnessing people go beyond their normal routine each week to pick up a meal, say hello, and stay supportive helped provide a boost of morale for the industry as well. It was yet another visible way of how the High Country community supports its own during times of need. Restaurants that remain open today will remain forever grateful for the folks how helped keep their doors open over these last few months.”

#KeepBooneHealthy is a community messaging campaign organized by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, with content creation and promotional assistance provided by Destination by Design and the Downtown Boone Development Association. Additional information can be found at www.facebook.com/keepboonehealthy.

For more information about a broad range of available assistance during the COVID-19 crisis, visit www.boonechamber.com/localresponse.

If you have questions, please contact the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce at 828-264-2225 or email david@boonechamber.com.