In a time of uncertainty, we can be sure about one thing—our love for the local restaurants. Now’s the time they need our support more than ever—check out our list of Texas restaurants currently open for to-go orders, delivery, and curbside pick-up, too and also these tips below on ways to continue to support our beloved local restaurants as much as we can.
- Honor your existing reservations where you can if your city’s restaurants’ dining rooms are still open, or cancel now if you know you are not up for going out. Just be sure to keep the restaurant informed if you don’t plan to keep your reservation—they often staff and prep food around the number of guests they expect in a night, so it’s important to keep them in the loop if you’re going to change plans.
- Dine outside. If you’re going out to eat, dine al fresco if you can! It’s great for social distancing and a welcome dose of sun. Plus, restaurants have been working tirelessly to make their dining rooms, restrooms, and kitchens the cleanest they’ve ever been. If you are comfortable leaving the house, and your favorite restaurant is welcoming customers, go have a great meal.
- Buy gift cards and merchandise — let’s call it #merchmadness, shall we? If you are in a position to buy a gift card and sit on it for a while, you will be helping your local favorite get through a tough time. Likewise, merchandise can mean big profits for restaurants. Share an Instagram or Facebook post in a t-shirt or cap from your favorite spot and show some love!
- Opt for carry-out, delivery or curbside pick-up. A lot of our favorite places are now offering your favorite dish to-go. We are working daily to update this list of Texas restaurants offering take-out and/or delivery options. And if not for you, consider sending a meal to hospital floor nurses, who are all working tirelessly right now, or perhaps an elderly neighbor. It takes a village, you know.
- Tip your server or delivery people well, if you are able, to offset the money they’re losing by the drop in both working hours and patronage.
- Be kind. One of the best ways to weather this storm is if we do so with kindness and understanding. Know that restaurants are working as hard as they can with the limitations set in front of them to continue to serve the best eats they can!
I feel for all the workers, chefs, owners and servers of the restaurant business.
My son has been in it for over 20 yrs and things are going to be tough.
Hopefully people will try to use the ones that are still opened but I would not advise ANYONE to go inside and sit down . We all need to keep a safe distance from each other.
Order take out stuff.
Tanji, this is very a thoughtful thing to do and a terrific list! Some of your tips are common sense but some are things I hadn’t considered. Restaurants give our communities character as much as do things like public art and festivals. Along with the people who depend on them as employee and vendors, we benefit from restaurants as places to meet and celebrate and lift a glass together. Let’s do our part to keep them healthy until we can gather in groups again to enjoy a great meal.
Thank you Beth for your wonderful comments. Yes, our restaurants are part of what makes our communities great…kind of like extended family members:)
Hi Tanji, thank you for helping support Austin’s local restaurants and for creating this great resource online. I went to try and submit our restaurant, Wholly Cow Burgers, but the list in your post brings me to a 404 error: https://www.goodtaste.tv/2020/03/16/texass-take-outs-dine-outs-updates/.
Can you take a look at this and help get us listed? It would mean a lot for us to have your support as we are trying to spread the word about the creative new ideas we have been cooking up! Thank you.
So sorry you had the problem. We’ll get you added to the list. Stay safe 🙂