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Welcome Diner on East Broadway on Monday launched an ambitious plan to help feed Tucsonans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns and business slowdowns.
The nearly four-year-old restaurant in the old Chaffin's Diner, 902 E. Broadway, is offering its "staff meal" — the daily meal offered free to employees and based on what ingredients Executive Chef Ian Rosales has on hand — on a pay-what-you-can basis.
In the past week, that meal has included butternut squash bisque, Thai soup, jambalaya with red beans and rice, roasted veggies salad and Spanish rice with jackfruit. Rosales also is experimenting with dishes that can be frozen and eaten later including a fried green tomato parmesan.
TAKE OUT: 350+ Tucson-area restaurants open for pickup, delivery
You can also order off a streamlined version of the diner menu at regular prices.
Welcome Diner officially launched its "Welcome Care" program Sunday and Manager Shanna Rosing said a couple people picked up meals. A pair of displaced Tucson bartenders pitched in $20 for two meals; another customer gave the diner $20 for a container of soup.
Rosing said no one will be turned away and they will ask no questions of customers. The hope is that for every few people who can offer little to no payment, one or two customers will come in and overpay.
"We want to open these meals up to everyone, not just people who have been displaced by this pandemic," said Rosing, who is running the restaurant without any staff except Rosales.
Rosing said she also is encouraging people who can to tip; those proceeds will be divided among her restaurant's workers, who are largely the inspiration behind Rosales's ever-changing staff meals.
Since the city ordered all restaurants and bars to close last week, thousands of Tucson restaurant workers have found themselves unemployed. Rosing said the idea behind Welcome Care was born out of trying to care for Welcome Diner's affected employees. When she and Rosales realized just how much potentially perishable food they had on hand, they expanded the gesture to the public.
Welcome Diner and its sister restaurant in Phoenix also are exploring partnerships with their food distributors to provide even more opportunities to help displaced workers. Ideas include buying perishable ingredients from distributors who might be faced with lost sales due to the temporary statewide restaurant and bar closures.
Welcome Diner is open for takeout only from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Those hours could change; check the restaurant's Facebook page at facebook.com/welcomedinertucson for updates or call 622-5100.
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Photos for March 20: Tucson gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Tucson-area, Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Updated
Marina Cornelius, owner of Floor Polish Dance + Fitness, teaches her Cardio Party-o class via Periscope to her students on March 20, 2020. Cornelius says this is the first time she's trying to livestream classes and is learning as she goes.
Tucson-area, Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Updated
Marina Cornelius, owner of Floor Polish Dance + Fitness, talks to her students via Periscope before teaching her Cardio Party-O class on March 20, 2020. Cornelius says this is the first time she's trying to livestream classes and is learning as she goes.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
A group of friends from St. Louis enjoy their lunch along Sentinel Peak after a 40-mile bike ride on March 20, 2020. The cycling friends planned their trip to Tucson months ago and decided to keep their vacation plans. They arrived on March 1st and leave this weekend. For the past three weeks they've been cycling through Saguaro National Park, up Mt. Lemmon, Kitt Peak and The Loop. On Friday they got takeout from Seis Kitchen and their bicycle touring company set up tables and chairs for them. They felt they self-quaratined with just the six of them during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
Ricardo and Vera Escalante say they're addicted to Pat's Chili Dogs and needed to get their fix on March 20, 2020. The pair got their order to go since bars and restaurants are barred from having customers in their facilities due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and decided to enjoy their lunch at the top of Sentinel Peak.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
Khristina Hernandez puts on disposable gloves before cleaning a room at Hotel McCoy located at 720 W Silverlake Road, on March 19, 2020.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
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Lacy Tritz prepares an order at the Downtown Dispensary located at 221 E 6th Street, on March 20, 2020. Employees are now required to wear masks at the dispensary and customers will now order at the front desk or online.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
A line grows outside the doors to Trader Joe's at Swan and Grant as an employee limits customers entering the store to one-out one-in, March 20, 2020, Tucson, Ariz.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
Banner UMC’s drive up system is for emergency room triage for a variety of illnesses and is not for random testing for COVID-19. It has been put in place to keep crowds from the ER and protect the health of patients and staff.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
Banner UMC’s drive up system is for emergency room triage for a variety of illnesses and is not for random testing for COVID-19. It has been put in place to keep crowds from the ER and protect the health of patients and staff.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
Banner UMC’s drive up system is for emergency room triage for a variety of illnesses and is not for random testing for COVID-19. It has been put in place to keep crowds from the ER and protect the health of patients and staff.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
Cazandra Zaragoza, center, reacts to finding out her placement for her medical residency during Match Day on March 20, 2020. Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the annual Match Day event at the University of Arizona was canceled. Students received an email informing them of their placement. Zaragoza was surrounded by friends and family including her husband, Joseph Llanes, right, and her 2 sons, Ezra Zaragoza-Llanes, 7, far left and Eleazar, 10, when she found out her placement is family medicine in San Francisco. Zaragoza is one of the recipients of the Primary Care Physicians Scholarship. The scholarship paid for her last year of medical school. As part of the scholarship, Zaragoza will return to Arizona and work in an underserved or rural area.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
Wade Biehl, manager at Five Points Market & Restaurant, 756 S. Stone Ave., brings a takeout order to a customer outside of the restaurant on March 20, 2020. Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), bars and restaurants have been ordered to only offer takeout options to customers. Biehl said customers are not allowed inside the restaurant and can only call or text in their orders to limit contact with staff.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
Julie Swartzentruber, a server, tells a customer over the phone their dessert options at Five Points Market & Restaurant, 756 S. Stone Ave., on March 20, 2020. Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), bars and restaurants have been ordered to only offer takeout options to customers. Customers are not allowed inside the restaurant and can only call or text in their orders to limit contact with staff.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
A car turns onto a nearly empty 4th Avenue, on March 20, 2020.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
Sarah Lang views responses from her fifth-grade students on Google classroom at Centennial Elementary School in the Flowing Wells School District, Tucson, on March 20, 2020.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
Updated
Sarah Lang, teacher at Centennial Elementary School in the Flowing Wells School District, Tucson, talks to parents picking up breakfast for their kids on March 20, 2020.
Aldi is opening its first Tucson grocery store
