How Houstonians Can Help Local Restaurants Impacted By Mandatory Closures

After city officials ordered all Houston restaurants to close their dining rooms on Monday afternoon, Houstonians are wondering how they can best support the establishments that they love.

At present, many of the city’s restaurants are open for takeout, curbside pickup, and delivery service, and they’re hoping to bring in enough business to keep their staffs employed for the foreseeable future. In addition to hopping in the car or ordering via a third-party delivery app, check out this list of ways that Houstonians can help restaurants and their employees as they figure out what’s next.

• Order takeout — We’ve rounded up a lengthy list of Houston restaurants offering takeout, curbside pickup, and delivery. Order from your favorite restaurant(s), and tip extremely well.
• Buy merch — Check in with your favorite bars and restaurants to buy t-shirts, pint glasses, mugs, and more. 8th Wonder Brewery’s got a full list of excellent tees and caps on its website, and Truth BBQ sells its sauces, shirts, and caps online.
• Buy gift cards — Many Houston restaurants are offering incentives, like discounts and free food, to patrons who buy gift cards for future use. Check your favorite spot’s Facebook page or website for more details on how to buy gift cards.
• Make a donation — Houston’s own Southern Smoke Foundation is currently collecting donations that will be distributed to restaurant industry professionals in need. Eater.com has also rounded up an extensive list of national charities that are raising funds for people impacted by closures.

Eater will be updating this list throughout the coming weeks with more ways to help. Got an idea? Drop us a line at houston@eater.com.