people in the United States have worked in food service.
This is a day for them. For you. For all of us.
Food service workers keep our communities running. They create experiences, build connections, and show up every day to serve others, often behind the scenes. From cooks and dishwashers to servers, bartenders, bar taps, cashiers, catering managers, and food service teams everywhere, these are the people who power one of the country’s most essential industries.
This is an industry that builds careers, families, friendships, and communities, and it deserves national recognition. On Friday, September 25, 2026, Giving Kitchen invites the nation to come together for National Food Service Worker Day, a day dedicated entirely to celebrating and honoring food service workers across the country.
Use Giving Kitchen’s Official National Food Service Worker Day Celebration Filter to create a photo or video, rally your team, and give a little love to the people who make every shift, plate, and guest experience possible.
Need a caption? Use our suggested copy to help spread the gratitude.
Snap A PicMark your social calendar for September 25! Tell your social team, or remind yourself to post, use Giving Kitchen’s Official National Food Service Worker Day Celebration Filter, capture a photo or video, and help fill the social feeds with gratitude.
Share your celebration post on Instagram or LinkedIn using #FSWDay and tag @GivingKitchen so we can reshare.
And, when you dine out, take a moment to thank a food service worker in person!
Grey's Diner in Charlotte, NC
WE’RE DOING IT AGAIN.🍴🔥
Join @GivingKitchen and the @AtlHawks for Forkside Seats, fueled by Georgia Natural Gas, on Sunday, November 1 at @StateFarmArena.
A True to Atlanta culinary experience featuring 30+ chefs, restaurants and beverage partners, dinner on the arena floor, a live auction and music, all supporting food service workers in crisis.
Dine Forkside and support Giving Kitchen’s vital work of offering stability and dignity to food service workers in crisis. Since 2013, Giving Kitchen has helped more than 41,000 food service workers — including more than 8,000 children in their households — and awarded more than $17 million in financial assistance, with support now reaching workers in all 50 states.
🎟️ Get your tickets at the link in bio: GivingKitchen.org/ForksideSeats
For a food service worker in crisis, knowing where to turn for help matters. And language should never be a barrier.
Giving Kitchen’s bilingual case managers and support system help us communicate with food service workers in 180+ languages, so more people can access the support and resources available to them.
Know a food service worker who could use support? Ask For Help at the link in our bio.
Help us spread the word: Giving Kitchen is here to help food service workers.
Yesterday, you said thank you. And WOW, did you say it BIG!! 💙🧡
Thank you for filling the feeds with gratitude for the people who make our industry so special. It was amazing to see thousands of food service establishments and food service supporters come together with one common goal: say thank you.
But gratitude shouldn’t be reserved for one day!
Every day, there are 15.7 million food service workers showing up to cook our meals, share their talents, pour our coffee, serve our tables, wash our dishes, open our restaurants, and keep this industry moving.
They deserve our gratitude yesterday, on Giving Kitchen’s #NationalFoodServiceWorkerDay. And today. And tomorrow. And the next day.
Say thank you, daily. Tip graciously. Tell a food service worker what they mean to you. And when someone in our industry needs a little extra support, help spread the word about Giving Kitchen`s mission.
Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.
givingkitchen.org
#FSWDay
💚 One last thank you! Today, we celebrated the people who make this industry so special, from cooks and servers to baristas, dishwashers, bartenders, managers, and everyone in between.
As our final post of #NationalFoodServiceWorkerDay, we’re sharing a clip of Chef Ryan Hidinger reflecting on his personal industry story and culinary vision from a @CreativeMornings Atlanta talk in June 2013.
More than a decade later, his words still resonate. From the early days of Giving Kitchen to more than 40,000 food service workers supported, this community has continued to show up, rally around one another, and believe in what’s possible.
“Anything long-lasting or worthwhile takes time and complete surrender.”
— Chef Ryan Hidinger
Today was about you. Thank you for showing up, feeding us, welcoming us, celebrating with us, and making this industry what it is.
And if you’re not quite ready to stop celebrating, we don’t blame you!!
Keep sharing your gratitude with #FSWDay and tag @givingkitchen.
Here’s to the food service workers who deserve our thanks today, and every day. 🧡
🔗 Learn more about Giving Kitchen’s origin story and watch the full talk through the link in our bio.
Food service is more than a job. It’s skill. It’s care. It’s hospitality. It’s a love language.
Every time we sit down for a meal, grab a coffee, celebrate a special occasion, or walk into a place that makes us feel welcome, someone is behind that experience, making it happen.
Food service workers matter because they make the experiences we love possible.
Today, we’re especially grateful to Samantha Gemini Stevens (@wishboneandvine) for putting words to what makes this community so special.
And to every person who cooks, serves, hosts, bartends, cleans, delivers, and cares for us every day, thank you.
Have a food service worker you’re grateful for? Thank them in person, snap a photo together, and post your thank-you. Tag @GivingKitchen and help us fill the feeds with gratitude for the people who make our days, meals, and communities better. 💙🧡
#FSWDay #NationalFoodServiceWorkerDay
Today, we’re celebrating the people who make our industry what it is, and we’re especially grateful to Chef Robert Butts for joining us in celebrating food service workers.
From the early mornings to the late nights, the long shifts to the countless details that happen behind the scenes, there is so much hard work that goes into every meal, every service, and every experience.
Thank you, Chef Robert (@chefrobertbutts), for recognizing the people behind it all and using your voice to celebrate our food service community. We’re so grateful to have you with us for National Food Service Worker Day and can`t wait for #ForksideSeats on November 1st!
Today, we’re saying thank you to the food service workers who bring their love, labor, skill, and heart to the table every day. 💙🧡
Chef Chris Rogienski (@chefmoe.ron), Executive Chef at Leluia Hall (@leluiahall), and Chef Cristian Medrano (@chefcristian_medrano), Chef de Cuisine, are celebrating the hardworking food service community across Charlotte and beyond.
As Chris shared, the love, labor, skills, and mentorship that food service workers bring to their work is something you can feel in the food and in the communities they create.
“We couldn’t do it without any of you, and we appreciate you.”
They’re also grateful for Giving Kitchen and the opportunity to support an organization that is there for food service workers when life happens and they need a little extra help.
To every food service worker: thank you for what you bring to this industry, to your teams, and to the people you serve.
Happy National Food Service Worker Day! 🍽️💙🧡
#FSWDay #NationalFoodServiceWorkerDay #FoodServiceWorkers #GivingKitchen #Charlotte
Sam Lando of @lando_wines knows what it means to be on the front lines of food service. From the back of the house to the dining room, he’s been part of the work that makes this industry so special.
Today, he’s raising a glass from Sonoma County to the food service workers, operators, and hospitality folks who show up every day. 🧡💙
Happy Giving Kitchen’s National Food Service Worker Day! Take a moment to celebrate a food service worker today, and thank them for everything they bring to our tables and our communities.
#NationalFoodServiceWorkerDay #FSWDay
Thank you, Sean Sherman (@the_sioux_chef) for celebrating the people who make food service so meaningful. 💙🧡
Food service workers educate, nourish, bring people together, and use their voices to make a difference every day. We’re grateful for the people who keep showing up and making change through food.
Happy #NationalFoodServiceWorkerDay! Celebrate your people with @givingkitchen. Show up for food service workers.
Create your #FSWDay photo with our filter: https://bit.ly/4ns3ARE
#FSWDay
There’s nothing quite like the camaraderie of food service. 💙🧡
For Chef Zachary Lanier of Iberian Pig Buckhead, it’s the people, the teamwork, and the shared passion that keep him in this industry.
It’s the way a team works together through a busy service. The common language of food and hospitality. The people who have your back and understand exactly what it takes to make a great experience happen.
Today, we’re celebrating that camaraderie that makes food service such a special community.
Thank you, Chef Zachary, for celebrating the people you get to work alongside every day. Happy National Food Service Worker Day! 🍽️💙🧡
Have a food service worker you’re grateful for? Comment CELEBRATE and we will send the link to support.
Thank them in person, snap a photo together, and share your thank you. Tag @GivingKitchen and help us fill the feeds with gratitude.
#FSWDay #NationalFoodServiceWorkerDay
Giving Kitchen Celebrates National Food Service Worker Day with Chef Lamar @chef_ljm #fswday
We’re so grateful to celebrate National Food Service Worker Day with our friends at Popmenu. 💙🧡
As an annual corporate partner, Popmenu continues to show up for Giving Kitchen and the food service community, and we’re so grateful for their ongoing support.
Today, the Popmenu team is sharing a few words of gratitude for the people who make every meal, gathering, and guest experience possible.
To every food service worker: thank you for the welcome you create, the care you give, and the moments you make memorable.
And Popmenu, thank you for standing with Giving Kitchen and food service workers, today and throughout the year. We’re grateful to have you in our community.
Happy National Food Service Worker Day! 🧡
#FSWDay #NationalFoodServiceWorkerDay
September 25, 2025 marked the inaugural year of Giving Kitchen, leading a nationwide campaign to spotlight and thank the people behind the pass, the bar, and the counter — the hard-working individuals who make dining out so memorable.
On Semptember 25th, social feeds filled with photos old and new, virtual thank-you notes were sent, and team shout-outs were acknowledged. From group selfies in kitchens to family meals shared after service, the collective message was clear: we see you, we appreciate you, and we’ve got your back.
Thank you for celebrating food service workers with us!
Explore coverage & outreach from Nation’s Restaurant News, Telemundo’s Poder en Ti, Yahoo Finance with Board member Chef Andrew Zimmern.
Look back at special videos from Proof of the Pudding, Will Guidara of Unreasonable Hospitality, and 200+ supporters who took the time to thank our industry members.
Read the Recap
Giving Kitchen (GK) is a nonprofit organization that provides emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources. Their goal is to create a food service community in which crises are met with compassion and care. Giving Kitchen is a James Beard Humanitarian of the Year award winner and Fast Company’s 2022 Brands That Matter. Since its inception, GK has served over 40,000 food service workers and awarded over $17 million in financial assistance.
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