NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, restaurant discovery app Seated and the Massachusetts Restaurant Association announced Eat Out to Help Out MA, a new program to encourage Massachusetts residents to dine out to support the recovery of the Bay State restaurant industry. Modeled after the initiative in the UK, Eat Out to Help Out MA is designed to drive business for full-service restaurants on off-peak days. According to the BBC, The UK program drove millions of dollars of off-peak restaurant spend during the month of August alone.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, approximately 20% of restaurants in Massachusetts have closed permanently, the highest concentration in the New England region, according to Massachusetts Restaurant Association president Bob Luz. The Pioneer Institute also predicts that the state’s restaurant industry will lose an estimated $2.13 billion by the end of 2020, which could lead to devastating economic impacts.
Eat Out to Help Out MA offers full-service restaurant operators a free solution to increase sales by offering diners a 50% rebate on any bill on Monday through Wednesday throughout the month of November.
Eat Out to Help Out MA is completely free for both Massachusetts restaurants and residents to participate. To take advantage of the rebates, diners download the Seated app in the App Store or Google Play Store to discover participating restaurants, make a reservation or signal a walk-in visit, and submit a photo of their receipt within the app to claim their rebate after their meal. Restaurants can sign up at seatedapp.io/eatout and Seated will build a free profile for the establishment.
“As a restaurant owner in Williamstown, I’ve seen how hard the state has been hit by the pandemic and how terrifying the unknown can be,” said Bo Peabody, Co-Founder of Seated and the owner of Mezze Bistro + Bar. “While we had hoped that the government would take additional steps to help the restaurant industry, we’re proud to partner with the Massachusetts Restaurant Association to offer support to our local restaurants.”
“We’re excited to partner with Seated to provide full-service restaurants in Massachusetts with a boost as the cold weather arrives. We’ve worked tirelessly to get to where we are today; an industry that is recovering while also providing safe dining environments for guests. Eat Out to Help Out MA can accelerate this recovery by acting as a rallying cry for diners to go out early in the week when restaurants need them most.”
Participating restaurants include Black Lamb, Bootleg Special, Chickadee, Mare, Mezzana, Pagu, and Rosa Mexicano, and others, with hundreds of additional restaurants expected to confirm their participation in the coming days.
“This year has been a lesson in flexibility as we’ve continued to make changes based on local regulations to protect the health of our staff, customers, and business,” said Ben Kaplan, Managing Partner of Black Lamb. “Even with outdoor dining and stimulus options from the government, Boston restaurants are looking for creative solutions and extra support to maximize profits while business is down. Black Lamb is thrilled to participate in Eat Out to Help Out MA to generate additional business and reward customers for sticking with us during this difficult time.”
ABOUT SEATED
Launched in 2017, Seated is dedicated to helping restaurants drive sales and ultimately thrive. Seated generates demand for restaurants by offering tangible rewards to consumers dining-in, ordering takeout or delivery, and booking private events. Through Seated’s rewards platform, it has filled more than 900,000 seats, generated $7 million in tips for wait staff, and $37 million in revenue for restaurants to date. Its takeout and delivery offering Seated at Home helps restaurants drive demand and compete against predatory delivery apps, which charge exorbitant, profit-reducing service fees. The company’s newest offering, Seated Events, allows groups wanting to take extra precautions to book private rooms while dining in. In return for dining or ordering through Seated, consumers receive a portion of their spend back in Seated rewards, which can be redeemed for gift cards with popular brands like Amazon, Starbucks, Sephora, and many more. For more information, visit https://www.seatedapp.io/.
ABOUT THE MASSACHUSETTS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION
The MRA provides access, influence and protection to restaurant professionals allowing for the ultimate opportunity to lead thriving businesses. Massachusetts is one of the nation’s most flourishing restaurant environments with over 18,000 restaurants and growing daily. One out of every ten employees in the state are employed directly in or in supporting industries of the restaurant industry, an undeniable driving force in the state’s economy. The MRA is the voice of expertise for the restaurant industry in Massachusetts manned with a powerful team of advocates with an impressive reputation. Known as the definitive voice of the state’s restaurant and hospitality industry in city halls and the state Capitol.
