Following Hospitality Industry Impact, a Tornado in its Hometown and Treating Heroes to Meals Year-Round, Shoney’s Proves it is Committed to Feeding its Beloved Communities When It Matters Most
Even if the restaurants at America’s Dinner Table are quiet for a spell, rest assured that the All-American brand Shoney’s is very busy doing what is does best: feeding its communities and at a time when a friend in need needs a friend indeed.
From its fearlessly philanthropic Chairman and CEO David Davoudpour to a beloved one-unit franchise partner a state away, the brand world-renowned for freshly-prepared, high-quality food with friendly service, is being a category leader in community stewardship, actively feeding those who need it most at a time when it is most needed. For example:
- In March, when a tornado ravaged Shoney’s hometown of Nashville, Mr. Davoudpour personally picked up the tab for Nashvillians impacted by the storm for three nights, providing comfort, assistance and a warm meal to hundreds.
- Amid the pandemic that has closed restaurants nationwide, Shoney’s franchisee in Chesapeake, Ohio, has served hospitality workers industry-wide, serving more than 4000 meals FREE via curbside pick-up, including more than 3000 All-American burgers on the past three Thursdays.
- Earlier this year, prior to unforeseen circumstances, Shoney’s committed to partner with WKRN-Channel 2 Nashville in order to support the station’s 2 Gives Back program, which serves first responders and service department in its viewing area. The program provides weekly free lunches to local heroes including fire departments, police precinct and others.
Shoney’s Chairman and CEO
“In good times and not-so good times, Shoney’s has always supported its communities. It started decades before me and you have my word that under my watch, it will continue, with vigor,” stated Mr. Davoudpour. “Being America’s Dinner Table’ comes with great responsibility, which we embrace with pride. We are here for our team and our valued guests. Better days are just ahead yet we are with you always.”
“More than ever, this is a time to step up and give back,” said Jennifer Ford, marketing director for the Shoney’s franchisee partner in Chesapeake. “We are all in this together through good times and tough times and we want to make sure we treat those impacted with a warm meal. Shoney’s historically has always been the ultimate team player and wants to extend its best wishes for good health for all.”
In addition to its year-round and situation-specific philanthropic efforts, Shoney’s has collected several industry accolades during its 73-year history and was recently recognized by consumers as one of America’s Favorite Chains in the family-dining category, based on a Restaurant Business poll and was voted one of the best 8 family dining restaurants in the United States in the Consumer Picks Survey via Nation’s Restaurant News.
Shoney’s was recognized for having the best rating for value among all family dining chains and also scored well for its service, menu variety and diners being likely to recommend it. Its category leadership, relevance and impact on family dining was recently captured in a column in Columbia, Tennessee’s newspaper, Columbia Daily Herald.
Since acquiring the great American eatery in 2007, Mr. Davoudpour has been on a driven and spirited mission to reinvigorate and revitalize Shoney’s, a family-friendly, southern-style restaurant brand. Shoney’s is one of the first, and has always been one of the most popular, family casual dining concepts in the United States.
In order to get back to what Mr. Davoudpour confidently calls Shoney’s “Glory Days,” the brand is now growing through franchising, following an extensive revitalization effort. Shoney’s is offering franchising opportunities to qualified single and multi-unit candidates. For more information, visit http://www.shoneys.com/franchise/.
Shoney’s is headquartered in Nashville, operates in 17 states. For 73 years, guests have enjoyed Shoney’s family-friendly, casual dining experience. Visit www.shoneys.com for more information on restaurant hours, locations and special offers. You can also follow Shoney’s on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
