Restaurant Neighbor Award 2008 Finalist
California

Johnny Rebs Southern Roadhouse
Los Alamitos, CA

Johnny Rebs Southern Roadhouse has found a unique way to get guests to shell out more than the piles of peanuts found on tables in this classic southern barbecue restaurant. The restaurant’s Shell Out for Charity program encourages customers to drop a quarter in Mason jars placed on each table, in exchange for an unlimited supply of the restaurant’s signature fresh roasted peanuts. Now in its 12th year, the program has raised close to $250,000 for nonprofits. Beneficiaries included the Feedback Foundation, which feeds homebound seniors; Valley View Vaulters, a program that enables children with disabilities to ride horses; The Gary Center, a multi-program social service agency; and several youth programs. Support for this simple but effective program has been strong. Staff members often find checks and bigger donations crammed in the Mason jars, and the restaurant’s customers are grateful for the chance to connect with charities they wouldn’t otherwise know about. Johnny Rebs hopes to invite other restaurants to create foundations to increase awareness and connections among local nonprofits.

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