Marketing
Fast Casuals honoring Pride Month with LTOs, donations
Although a parade may not be in the cards this year because of COVID-19, restaurants are still finding ways to honor LGBT Pride Month.
June 15, 2020 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
Although a parade may not be in the cards this year because of COVID-19, restaurants are still finding ways to honor LGBTQ+ Pride Month and to commemorate the Stonewall riots of June 1969 — when people fought back against an early morning police raid, refusing to be arrested for patronizing a gay bar and being in openly gay in public.
More than 40 years later, the Supreme Court further advanced the cause of LGBTQ rights Monday, ruling that a civil rights law barring sex discrimination in the workplace applied to gay, lesbian and transgender workers. Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the decision, which was split six to three.
See below for a roundup of brands celebrating equality.
Wayback Burgers
Wayback Burgers is supporting the LGBTQ community this month by serving the Pride Shake — a 16-ounce Vanilla milkshake with rainbow sprinkles and whipped cream — and donating June sandwich sales to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Wayback Burgers President Patrick Conlin said in a company press release
"Boys & Girls Clubs of America supports local Clubs in providing a safe, positive, and inclusive environment to assure LGBTQ youth are welcome at Clubs, Crystal Brown, BGCA national vice president, Youth Development Programs, said in the release. "Through the LGBTQ Inclusion Initiative, we seek to equip Club staff with the support and Club-specific resources that are needed to cultivate a safe, positive and inclusive environment where LGBTQ youth, families and staff can thrive."
Founded in 1991 in Newark, Delaware, Wayback Burgers is a Connecticut-based franchise with more than 166 locations in 30 states as well as in Brunei, Sudan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Canada and the Netherlands. Through its executed master franchise agreements, the chain will open in 38 provinces/countries in the Middle East, Northern Africa, South Africa, Argentina, Pakistan, Brunei, Bangladesh, Ireland; Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Canada and the Netherlands.
Shake Shack
Shake Shack is showing its respect for the LGBTQ community by not only creating and selling a Pride Shake, but Culinary Director Mark Rosati has posted a video on social media to teach customers how to make one at home.
#Pride has always been a part of who we are, with Shack teams around the world marching proudly alongside our LGBTQIA+ team members and guests. Pride may feel different this year, but our support is unwavering. pic.twitter.com/fJZMbhosDq
— SHAKE SHACK (@shakeshack) June 6, 2020
Starbucks
Starbucks, which has a history of celebrating and supporting LGBTQ rights, has donated $100,000 this month to the Human Rights Campaign and the National Center for Transgender Equality in honor of Pride Month to help vulnerable members of the LGTBQ+ community struggling in the wake of COVID-19, according to a company press release. 
The Starbucks Foundation has also awarded 100 grants to nonprofit organizations supporting LGBTQ+ communities, totaling more than $300,000. Many of these organizations were nominated by partners based on neighborhood partnerships they have developed in service of their local communities, according to a company press release.
Starbucks has received a 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index based on corporate policies and practices for LGBTQ+ equality for the past 10 years, and earlier this year, Starbucks UK launched the #whatsyourname campaign to celebrate the significant act for some transgender and gender diverse people as they use their new names in public. As part of this campaign, £100,000 was raised for Mermaids, which supports a helpline for young trans people and their families.
Sweetcatch Poke
New York-based Sweetcatch Poke is offering a veritable rainbow of colors and flavors in its Pride Bowl, with 50% of proceeds from the sale of the bowls being donated to The NYC Health + Hospitals LGBTQ Health Center, which is committed to empowering LGBTQ New Yorkers to living the healthiest life possible, according to a company press release. Sweetcatch's flavor-packed Pride Poke is composed of tuna poke marinated with spicy honey shoyu, scallion, onion, watermelon radish, and sesame seeds, and is topped with seaweed salad, pineapple, masago, red chili, cabbage and brown rice.
The bowl is $16 and is available at the chain's four locations at: 66 Madison Ave., 642 Lexington Ave., 100 Park Ave., and 125 Maiden Lane.
Smashburger
In celebration of Pride Month, Smashburger, which has 300 locations, wants to unite burger lovers and chicken lovers with its Crispy Chicken Smash Sandwich. On National Pride Day (June 28), it will give customers a free Crispy Chicken Smash with the purchase of another.
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| Smashburger is offering a BOGO deal on June 28 on its Crispy Chicken Smash Sandwich. Provided. |
"Smashburger knows that its guests are not only burger lovers but chicken lovers too and this sandwich encourages fans to indulge their taste buds in total comfort no matter their preference," Smashburger president Carl Bachmann said in a company press release.
The Smash is made with fried cracker-crusted chicken breast and served with lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo on a classic bun.
About Cherryh Cansler
