Last summer, in response to the innumerable obstacles hospitality workers faced as they began gradually reopening restaurants, the British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association (BCRFA) assembled a group of B.C. restaurant representatives to establish optimal province-wide reopening strategies for in-restaurant dining.
In addition to providing an array of resources and real-time insights which helped restaurants navigate and adapt to the challenges associated with province-wide restrictions, the BCRFA launched a unique campaign that asked diners throughout B.C. to share their stories of people or businesses that were providing extraordinary dining experiences in a safe and welcoming way.
Earlier this month, the BCRFA announced that it had joined forces with Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, Save-On-Foods, and Town Hall Brands to launch a second annual #StandUpForService campaign that will run until May 23.
Much like the original campaign, the goal of the 12-week program is to recognize excellence in the hospitality industry by once again asking diners to share their remarkable restaurant experiences via social media. Each week, an outstanding restaurant worker will be selected to receive a $100 Save-On-Foods gift card and a gift from Sumac Ridge, with four individuals being chosen at the campaign’s conclusion for additional prizes.
“We are incredibly proud of the efforts that restaurant, foodservice and pub staff are making to ensure that restaurants are rising to the occasion in the face of the most challenging time in a century," says BCRFA president and CEO Ian Tostenson. "It takes a lot of effort and diligence to be on the front line, and we want restaurant staff to know we are there to support them and encourage them.”
Despite the fact that restaurant employees have put themselves on the line to provide a necessary service throughout the duration of the pandemic, the B.C. hospitality industry was shockingly deemed ineligible to take part in the province’s front-line worker vaccine rollout next month.
Nominations for the Stand Up for Service campaign can be submitted online. Members of the industry and the public are asked to use the hashtag #StandUpForService and tag participating campaign partners.
