302599 Wed Sep 21 14:14:03 -0700 2005 7 29 Not About Food 0 1695210 Dine for America is a arm of the NRA (National Restaurant Association)that is sponsoring a function to raise funds for Hurricane Katrina relief. I have no association with either the NRA or Dine for America, I'm merely the messenger and posting this info for anyone who may be interested. The fund raising event will take place on October 5th. The web page below has links to a list of all restaurants in the U.S. that will be participating and the amount of their proceeds that they will contribute on that night. There is also additional information about Dine for America and where the contributions go. Link: http://www.dineforamerica.org/ Wed Sep 21 14:14:03 -0700 2005 0 Gayla 1 1695214 Hmmm. Not to knock the cause, but the amount of money from each meal is going to be minimal at best, and these kinds of arrangements are often little more than opportunities for publicity and tax breaks. One would be much better off making a cash donation to one of the major charities involved in helping out. Wed Sep 21 14:48:16 -0700 2005 1695210 0 Two Forks 2 1695223 Very well could be. Proceeds will vary by restaurant. Some of the ones in my local area are donating 100% of the dining room sales while others only 5-10%, which isn't much. Wed Sep 21 16:27:42 -0700 2005 1695214 0 Gayla 3 1695280 I've never owned, run, or worked in a restaurant (other than a post-college stint in the pizza delivery industry), but everything that I've heard would indicate that the vast majority of restaurants operate with a profit margin of 3 to 4 percent. A donation of 10 percent of the register for one day may not be much, but it's no doubt mare than the profits for the whole day. And it's still better to do something than to do nothing. And a whole lot of restaurants doing a little something will eventually add up to be a big something. Most of the participating restaurants in my area are not the ones that I would choose for a birthday dinner, but I still appreciate the effort. Fri Sep 23 10:08:20 -0700 2005 1695223 0 Fydeaux 1 1695244 *Dine for America* Can it be a coincidence that, with the NRA sponsoring this event, that when you take the n out of Dine you end up getting the true purpose of the organization? (sort of like those old Mad magazine back covers where you folded it into thirds to see what was really going on in the illustration) (g) Wed Sep 21 19:40:48 -0700 2005 1695210 0 WLA 2 1695345 Ah, don't believe it's the NRA you're thinking of. National Restaurant Association, maybe? Mon Sep 26 21:31:22 -0700 2005 1695244 0 Shep 1 1695246 Olive Garden? Yoshinoya? Phony Aroma's??? I'm gonna send a check to Oxfam and eat at home... Wed Sep 21 19:49:57 -0700 2005 1695210 0 Will Owen 1 1695281 Here is another alternative that might include some options more palatable to hounds (the SF list definitely includes some board favorites)...(I have no interest other than as a user of Open Table)... I have already donated hard cash to several organizations, and don't see this as an alternative to the need to give, but I am still eating out and it is an excuse to try a place I've been wanting to try (in my case it will be dinner at Ponzu next Tuesday), and I can get hubby to come along by pointing out it is for a good cause! :-) Link: http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?pid=138&ref=1002 Fri Sep 23 11:53:08 -0700 2005 1695210 0 susancinsf