Food service establishments across the country, from neighborhood spots to national brands, joined Giving Kitchen in celebrating the teams that keep hospitality moving.
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.
Nearly two-thirds of people in the U.S. have worked in food service at some point.
A food service worker reaches out to Giving Kitchen for help every 28 minutes.
Giving Kitchen has provided over $16 million in emergency assistance, and provided over 100,000 Stability Network resources to help prevent eviction, hunger, and homelessness when a food service worker experiences a crisis.
National Food Service Worker Day is more than a one-day thank you — it’s a call to action to dine with gratitude, raise awareness about Giving Kitchen, and ensure no worker faces a crisis alone.
September 25th is Giving Kitchen’s National Food Service Worker Day! 🎉 Celebrate with us by flooding the feed with the memories + moments that make this industry unforgettable. From late-night closes to shift-meal inside jokes—this day is for EVERY food service worker, past + present.
Here’s how you can celebrate + click the link in our bio to find all the ways to celebrate 👉 FSW.day
🍴 Dine With Gratitude – Dine out in September at a participating restaurant that is raising funds for GK
📷 Share Your Story – Post a reel or throwback selfie with #FSWDay + tag @GivingKitchen highlighting why this industry is so important to you
💌 Spread the Word – Volunteer to tell your favorite establishments about our mission to help food service workers in crisis
Tell us your first food service job in the comments below 👇
Hidi’s last birthday (8/14/13). Today and everyday, the joy his spirit brings to my life and the countless number of people his journey touched, I continue to be forever full of gratitude. HBD Ry.
If you appreciate the joy of dining out and can’t imagine your life without the food service community, please follow givingkitchen and plan to share your gratitude for food service workers on National Food Service Day on SEPT 25th. #birthdaygifts #iykyk #bustour #fswday #familymeal
Comment or DM if you`d like me to come visit your team and share more about Giving Kitchen, or if you`d like to be involved in supporting an amazing organization for those working in food service!
National Food Service Worker Day is coming up and this is the best way to get involved. Your vendors and customers would love to help, so let your restaurant be part of our upcoming campaign to support and raise awareness for food service workers in emergency situations across the country.
#givingkitchen #giveback #hospitality #restaurant #fswday
I’m so excited to announce the premier of our movie, We’re So Dead! If you’re in the Atlanta area on Monday, September 22, come see the movie you helped create! And let me thank you personally.
We have teamed up with givingkitchen so $2.13 of every ticket from that night will go directly to them to help restaurant workers in need. They are a wonderful organization and I am very proud to be working with them. I’m so fucking excited about this.
#fswday #weresodeadmovie
#weresodead
#serviceindustryhorror
#serviceindustryproblems
#serverlife
#restaurantlife
#serverhumor
#restaurantmemes
#hospitalityhumor
#bartenderlife
#hospitalitylife
#waitstafflife
#horrorcomedy
Big thanks to @southcitykitchen.atl and @fifthgroup for stepping up to the plate to support food service workers in crisis this August! @Braves fans enjoyed their new ballpark bites as our local chef partner for Giving Kitchen`s food stall at Truist Park`s Outfield Market!
We loved seeing Culinary Director Chef John Spotkill and @delawarenorth’s Chef John Benner highlight this partnership on @gooddayatlanta with @alexwhittler 🙌
⚾ Thank you, Chefs and #Bravescountry, for supporting our mission! Stop by the Outfield Market and visit Giving Kitchen`s food stall at the next home game.
Nearly two-thirds of people in America have spent time in the food service industry—crafting dishes, pouring drinks, creating experiences, and sharing the artistry of hospitality. Whether it was a stepping stone or a lifelong calling, this industry has shaped so many of us.
On September 25th, Giving Kitchen’s National Food Service Worker Day is our chance to honor those roots, celebrate the people who keep the industry alive, and stand beside workers when they need their restaurant family the most.
This September, you can:
🍽️ Dine With Gratitude at participating restaurants
🤝 Invite your industry friends to join the celebration
📝 Share your own food service story—we’d love to hear how the industry shaped you!
Comment `celebrate` or visit FSW.day for all the details + ways to support food service workers.
#NationalFoodServiceWorkerDay #DineWithGratitude #GivingKitchen #FSWDay
Hey y’all! It’s September. And that means on Sept 25th, it’s National Food Service Workers Day. Get ready!
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You’ll probably hear me say this a lot this month - as if I don’t already - but I love our food service industry. givingkitchen #fswday
Meet Grace, LMSW 👋 As a Case Manager at Giving Kitchen, Grace walks alongside food service workers every day with compassion and care. Having worked in the industry since she was 16, she knows firsthand the challenges and joys that come with it—and the importance of support when times get tough.
🧡 🫶 💙 In honor of Giving Kitchen`s National Food Service Worker Day on September 25th, we’re sharing stories that highlight the people who make this industry what it is.
Want to join in? Share your own food service story, throwback photo, or tag someone who inspires you using #FSWDay
👉 Comment `celebrate` to get the details.
I don`t have any photos from my first job in food service (concessions kingsislandpr), but I do have this photo of goldfinchbolton.studio and I working the dish station in the camp_friedlander dining hall!
Working in food service taught me that even the most tedious work can be rewarding if you`re doing it alongside the right people. I`m celebrating National Food Service Worker Day this month to recognize all of the friends I`ve made through the industry along the way. #fswday
Use the free frame tool we built to share your own selfie at fsw.day or the link in my bio.
Eating out for charity never felt so good! ✨
This September, I’m partnering with James Beard Semifinalist dandrewsbakery and givingkitchen—a nonprofit supporting food service workers nationwide through unexpected crises like illness, injury, home disasters, or the loss of a loved one.
Beyond direct financial aid, they connect food service workers with vital resources like mental health support, dental care, and more.
All month long, dandrewsbakery will donate proceeds from their pink ‘LOVE’ 💕 pastry to this important cause.
Here’s how YOU can help:
🥐 Like, comment, and share this video to spread the word—especially with restaurant owners, food service workers, or anyone eager to give back.
🥐 Visit www.givingkitchen.org to explore all the restaurants joining this year’s Dining Out with Gratitude campaign. While there, consider donating directly!
🥐 Stop by dandrewsbakery and stock up on LOVE pastries for family, friends & co-workers
Thank you for supporting such a meaningful mission—and happy almost fall! ✨
#nashvillerestaurants #givingback #givingkitchen #eatforacause #dandrewsbakery #FSWday
We’re thrilled to share that Javier Gonzalez, Bartaco’s Florida Regional Director, proudly represented us at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association’s 13th Annual Premier Hospitality Summit, held August 12–14, 2025, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. With keynote speakers like Tim Tebow leading the conversation, the Summit was a powerful opportunity to connect with industry leaders and champions of hospitality.
Javier’s presence highlighted our commitment to community through the Giving Kitchen’s “Dining With Gratitude” campaign—a mission close to our hearts at Bartaco. Through our special “Giving Taco” program, we introduce a unique taco every few weeks and pledge a portion of those sales to support food service workers facing unexpected crises.
Thank you, Javier, for representing Bartaco and helping raise awareness for such a meaningful cause. Together, we’re serving up tacos—and compassion—one bite at a time! givingkitchen javierbthyde bartacolife frlanews#FSWday
Country number 71 is Latvia 🇱🇻. Btw, September is Dining With Gratitude month for givingkitchen. Eat, drink, and help support food service workers. Now where in Riga can I dine with gratitude…🤔🤔🤔
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#wolfofcromstreet #wolfofallstreets #travel #europe #latvia #riga #FSWday
Food service workers are a part of life’s most ordinary and extraordinary moments, whether it’s remembering a daily coffee order or helping to make sure a birthday celebration is unforgettable.
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.
National Food Service Worker Day may come once a year, but the impact of gratitude lasts all year long. Here’s how you can keep supporting food-service workers every day:
Say thank you—and mean it. A genuine acknowledgment can brighten someone’s entire shift.
Tip generously. It’s a small act that creates a huge ripple of appreciation.
Support restaurants that support their teams. Dine out at participating Giving Kitchen’s Dining With Gratitude locations.
Share kindness online. Post about great service where you shared Giving Kitchen’s mission and tag @GivingKitchen to help spread awareness.
Educate and advocate. Encourage your favorite restaurants to share Giving Kitchen’s resources with their staff.
Every meal, every shift, every interaction is a chance to make someone feel valued — because gratitude, like good food, should be served daily.
Thank you to everyone who showed up, shared, and celebrated with us for National Food Service Worker Day 2025. Let’s do it again in 2026!
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