The COVID19 pandemic took a toll on billions of lives across the world, affecting people at every level, with businesses crashing all over. Kindness sprung forth in many different forms too, ranging from small individual deeds to grand gestures for communities. This gesture by the owner of the Tex- Mex eatery El Mezcal in Wisconsin stands out for being truly a one-of-a-kind act.
Like his competitors, Adolpho Melendez knows how badly the pandemic impacted the restaurant industry, especially small family-based restaurants like his own. He should have been looking to try to get back as large a percentage of his customers as he could when the restrictions eased. Instead, Adolpho decided to go another way.
To ensure the other restaurants in his area do not succumb to layoffs and closure in this pandemic period, the owner of El Mezcal went and bought $2,000 in gift cards from all the other eateries around and began raffling them off to his own customers via social media. The winners thus got to have free food from all his competitors, paid for by Adolpho himself.
His gesture had a huge positive impact with the community coming together and encouraging one another to work not as rivals during this tough time but as an extended family to help keep all the local restaurants running.
“That’s part of what keeps us alive. You can go to (bigger franchises) but it ain’t the same like when you go to this little diner or pizza joint… If you help one person and another person helps another, that will help a lot.”
– Adolpho Melendez
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| Owner of El Mezcal, Adolpho Melendez (left) |
Author's note:
Since 2017, every year, I take up the #BlogchatterA2Z challenge and focus on showcasing lovely real-life heroes from around the world. The aim is to remind you that there is still plenty of good human beings all around you... to inspire you to smile once more.
Want more stories of compassion?
I have Hundreds of 'Heroes of Kindness' to brighten your day here. Earlier editions can be viewed from the links below:
2017 edition (Articles - 40, Heroes - 67)
2018 edition (Articles - 34, Heroes - 52)
2019 edition (Articles - 31, Heroes - 42)
2020 edition (Articles - 30, Heroes - 64)
In a world full of How much do I make vs How much do u make. this is a positive vibe thats hit everyone
ReplyDeleteWhat a positive and inspiring tale to begin my day with. Loving your amazing series and will be reading the previous ones too once April is over 😀
ReplyDeleteDeepika Sharma
Such a positive post to start my day. This is an amazing series.
ReplyDeleteSreeparna
Pandemic affected lot of restaurants, and kudos to Adolpho Melendez for helping the local restaurants keep running, and helping others. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIn the age of cut-throat competition, where everyone is looking to survive by hook or by crook Adolpho chose to give his hand to his drowning competitors, what else rest to say. This gesture is not merely a kindness, it also shows his confidence over his abilities, to which he knows to sail through even in Pandemic!
ReplyDeleteArchana
archusblog
This is so selfless and is a mark of a beautiful soul.These guys keep the humanity alive and the brightest ray of hope.
ReplyDeleteIn a god eat dog world such inspirational stories reaffirm my faith in humanity. Thank you for these wonderful positive posts doc.
ReplyDeleteThe perfect lesson to make you believe that giving and sharing does more for the one who gives and shares.
ReplyDeleteThis is another exceptional and inspirational story and hard to believe too. I am just curios-what is the source of your information about all these real life heroes?
ReplyDeleteIts a perfect story which captures the adage "One gets what he shares". Such a nice inspiration
ReplyDeleteWow this is super inspiring. indeed this pandemic has affected many businesses badly. and in this tough time, when everyone is busy in setting their own things, Adolpho is doing great job to supporting his competitors. loving the series Dr. roshan.
ReplyDeletePandemic surely hurt the hospitality, tourism and restaurants the most. It was heartening to know about Adolpho Melendez and his noble gesture.
ReplyDeleteHow selfless a person can be. During pandemic hospitality industries were the most impacted and his act is commendable. Once again thanks for sharing these stories it makes me positive in difficult times.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be great if all businesses thought about supporting others in their field instead of considering them as rivals? Great story!
ReplyDeleteHe didn't care about the competition but decided to lend a helping hand to grow together during difficult times. Brilliant of him, truly!
ReplyDeleteSelfless service is not common these days and you're sharing series after series of people who find life in helping others. Kudos!
ReplyDeleteSuch a good gesture in this competitive world. Looking forward to know more heroes
ReplyDeleteHow thoughtful of this! All these incidents just restores our faith in humanity!
ReplyDeleteThis is exceptional story and hard to believe that people like dolpho chose to give his hand to his drowning competitors, what else rest to say. Thanks for sharing .
ReplyDeleteJyoti
This is so amazing and heartwarming. In a world where profits are the be all and end all, this restaurant owner took such a lovely route to ensure that everything is not just about money.
ReplyDeleteyou're really inspiring someone like me via your blogs. I'll pray for these heroes from the bottom of my heart.
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