The nearly 400,000 food insecure people living in Southern Nevada are getting a lifeline this week — as they have every spring for 19 years — from those who love to eat out. Three Square Food Bank, Nevada's largest hunger-relief operation, is holding its annual Restaurant Week, June 1-12.
The valley-wide dining event recruits more than 300 eateries to craft and promote special prix fixe menus. When diners select these exclusive three-course meals, up to $6 from each meal goes to Three Square, which turns that money into supplies for food banks. Restaurant Week does so well — more than 10 million donated meals have sprung from previous events — that restaurants often extend the availability of the prix fixe menus by a week or two.
Meeting the needs of food insecure people has grown more important in the wake of cost-of-living increases — especially in the grocery store — and the reduction of federal funds for the poor. The Trump administration also instituted work requirements for adults receiving SNAP benefits.
Three Square has felt the impact of those economic and policy developments. "We've seen more people who need food assistance," said Beth Martino, president and CEO of Three Square. "There's been a threat of fear through the community that we serve that the [federal] programs are now difficult to access, that the requirements are confusing, that there are maybe potential penalties or things that they might need to be fearful of, for applying for those programs. So all that has led to more people coming out to the food pantries and programs that we work with, which means we need more food on our shelves to meet that need."
Enter the Las Vegas hospitality industry. Martino said Three Square broke its own record again by recruiting 320 locations for Restaurant Week. One participant, Palms Casino Resort, has four participating eateries — three that offer a $30 prix fixe menu, and one — Scotch 80 steakhouse — with a $100 selection.
Leading that effort is Marcus O'Brien, Palms' senior director of food and beverage and executive chef, who works with each participating restaurant on their three-course menus. They must mind the costs of the special dishes, but never at the expense of the value to the customer or the benefit to Three Square.
"We're looking at our costs, looking at what works within a certain price range," O'Brien said. "We've got to crunch our own numbers and keep in mind that we're giving a percentage of this to Three Squares. Ultimately the bigger picture is what we focus on, so we're fine with taking a little bit of hit on our end if it gives more on their end."
According to Martino, everyone loves Restaurant Week, from the participating eateries, to donors and Three Square stakeholders, to the diners who put the nearly two-week-long event on their calendars every year.
"I talked with a couple just about two weeks ago who said they actually plan their summer around Restaurant Week because they want to make sure that they're here and that they can go out and try new places," Martino said. "So we want to keep making that possible for folks."
Guests: Beth Martino president and CEO, Three Square Food Bank; Marcus O'Brien senior director of food and beverage and executive chef, Palms Casino Resort
