Online food delivery startup SkipTheDishes has committed a cumulative $15 million CAD through several initiatives aimed at supporting restaurants and the public during the COVID-19 crisis.
“Food continues to be a strengthening bond for many through these difficult times.”
The commitment involves a $5 million support package that was delivered to restaurants on SkipTheDishes’ platform at the onset of the crisis. SkipTheDishes is now extending this support package by $10 million to include a 25 percent rebate aimed to help local and independent restaurants whose dining rooms have stayed closed due to social distancing orders.
“Restaurants are the heart and soul of communities across Canada and the industry is facing unprecedented hardships,” said Kevin Edwards, CEO of SkipTheDishes. “Though we know our support package doesn’t solve all of the challenges our restaurant partners are facing, we’re hoping it will help make an impact as we all work together to get through these exceptional times.”
SkipTheDishes also implemented an option for customers to support local restaurants by directly leaving a tip, with 100 percent of contributions going directly to their restaurant of choice. The startup said, so far, its customers have raised over $200,000 to help businesses through this initiative.
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The tip initiative prompted SkipTheDishes to launch a $1 million partnership with the hunger-relief organization Food Banks Canada. The partnership is starting with a $200,000 donation from SkipTheDishes to match its customers’ contributions, with additional donations expected to be made throughout the year.
Chris Hatch, CEO of Food Banks Canada, said the partnership will help restock empty shelves at food banks across the country to ensure they can feed those in critical need.
“The immediate outpouring of support we’ve seen from our customers in their local communities has been truly inspiring,” Edwards added. “Food continues to be a strengthening bond for many through these difficult times.”
SkipTheDishes was founded in Saskatoon in 2012 and now has headquarters in Winnipeg. In 2016, the company was acquired by United Kingdom-based Just Eat for $110 million.