Raleigh's A Place at the Table continues to offer place for everyone
Owners of A Place at the Table, Raleigh's only pay-what-you-can cafe, say their first seven months have been a success.
Posted — UpdatedA Place at the Table opened in January in the old Cafe de Los Muertos space at 300 W. Hargett St. in downtown Raleigh.
The pay-what-you-can model allows people to pay in one of five ways:
- pay what they can afford
- pay a suggested donation
- pay what they would typically pay, plus a donation
- pay specifically for someone else’s full meal
- pay by volunteering
Glenn Dunlap, who volunteers at the restaurant, said it has been life changing.
"I lost my business. I lost everything," he said.
At one point, Dunlap experienced homelessness and was not able to feed himself or his family.
He found the restaurant two month ago and said it has offered him a second chance.
"We see anywhere from 20 to 40 people who are coming in and volunteering for their meal," said Executive Director Maggie Kane. "On top of that, we see more people who are paying less. So, there's that option where, if you're having a tough week, come and pay less for your meal."
The restaurant is able to stay open because other customers choose to pay more for their meals and cover the cost of food. Owners said, so far, 80 percent of their customers have paid the suggested price or more.
Related Topics
• Credits
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
