How to Celebrate Juneteenth at Restaurants

Juneteenth, or June 19th, commemorates the date in 1865 when enslaved individuals in Galveston, TX were finally informed of their freedom—over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Today, Juneteenth is a federally-recognized holiday that’s dedicated to uplifting and celebrating the Black community. One excellent way to do so is through your restaurant. From specialty menu items to community outreach and more, there are so many ways to make an impact this Juneteenth. Here are some ideas on how your restaurant can celebrate this June 19th.

Offer Discounts

One simple—yet popular—way restaurants can celebrate Juneteenth is to offer special pricing that reflects the date. As outlined in an article by the National Restaurant Association, many eateries will temporarily price menu items at $6.19, $16.19 or $18.65. Not only is this a great way to generate a conversation about the significance of Juneteenth, it’s also a great way to generate additional revenue and reach a larger customer base.

Promote and Feature Black-Owned Suppliers

Juneteenth is a great time to promote Black-owned businesses in your area; source ingredients, special food items, desserts, decorations or restaurant supplies from such establishments to support the community. Make sure to give them a shoutout in your menu, online and on social media.

Depending on the space you have available and how you design your restaurant, you can also feature handmade goods and artwork in your restaurant. This is the perfect option for restaurateurs who have a bakery, coffee shop or café since they’re usually big gathering spots.

Give Back

For June 19th, consider celebrating by giving back to a charitable organization that’s dedicated to positively impacting the Black community. You can take a percentage of your Juneteenth earnings and make a donation to help support the Black community. Some noteworthy organizations include:

• Color of Change


• NAACP


• Black Visions Collective


• Black Women’s Health Imperative


• Marsha P. Johnson Institute

Or if you’d like you can also research locally-based charities to support. Likewise, make sure you post where you’re giving to both in-house and online to encourage your clientele to also donate.

Curate a Special Menu

Whether you offer it all week leading up to Juneteenth or just on the weekend, creating a special menu to celebrate Juneteenth is a great way to feature your favorite dishes in an exciting fashion.

• Soul Food—Include staples like chicken, fried okra, black-eyed peas and collard greens.


• Cajun Cuisine—Bring some Creole charm to your menu with offerings like gumbo, crawfish boil and etouffee.


• African Eats—Mix in the delicious flavors and rich traditions of African delicacies like jollof rice, fufu, piri piri chicken and yassa.


• Caribbean Cooking—Delicious food items like oxtail, jerk chicken, pepperpot, oil down, beef patties and pineapple chow.

Get Your Name Out There

Prior to the Juneteenth festivities, make sure you promote your social social media channels. You can tag other accounts that reshare content from Black creators and business owners for further engagement, too. On top of that, make sure your website is up-to-date with all the special Juneteenth goodies you’ll be adding to the menu.

Not only should you utilize social media to get the word out about your restaurant, but you can also reach out to sites like Black People Eats and Eat Black Owned. These two sites are directories for Black-owned restaurants and eateries that allow others to find your business.

Decorate

Make it a real celebration and decorate your restaurant for Juneteenth. Incorporate the symbolic colors of green, red and black from the African Liberation Flag into napkins and plateware, streamers, garland, floral arrangements and even in your menu items. Additionally, you can fly the official Juneteenth Flag, which was specifically created to tell the story of this holiday and honor those who were finally freed. Alongside these festive adornments, you can add information cards that explain what Juneteenth is and its significance. Additionally, you can post information on any causes you’re donating to with these cards.