Underemployed hospitality workers will be able to score free meals at these iconic pubs for the duration of Sydney’s lockdown.
The recent lockdown has forced restaurants across the city to shut their doors and although it had to be done, it has left a bunch of hospitality workers short for cash over the next few weeks. Luckily, The Duke of Enmore (Enmore’s favourite booze joint) and The Oxford Tavern (Petersham’s neighbourhood pub) are digging deep into their pockets and doing whatever they can to help their fellow hospo workers. In good charity, both pubs have just announced that they will be offering one free meal per day (yes, one free meal per day) for hospitality workers until the end of the lockdown.
So how does it work? Whether you have already been declared unemployed for the next week or so, or shift uncertainty due to increasing restrictions is weighing on your mind, you will be able to head to The Duke or The Tav for a free takeaway feed. You will even get to pick what your heart desires from a specially curated menu that includes vegan and vegetarian options. That’s right, no one is going hungry!
If that wasn’t enough, they will even be shouting a free pickleback shot per day to get you through the hard times. For those who haven’t heard of a pickleback before, it’s a shot of almighty Jameson followed by a shot of pickle brine. It’s not for everyone, but it will help soothe those lockdown blues.
Odd Culture Group General Manager James Thorpe said, “Casual staff are the backbone of our industry, and
unfortunately they are the first to face shift uncertainty when restrictions affect their workplaces. For some, this can mean the difference between eating or not, or paying rent or not, which we know is truly scary stuff. Offering these free meals is the least we can do to help our little corner of the world get through this latest Covid hiccup.”
The Duke is piggybacking off The Tav who already had this free meal offering in place with the lockdowns last year. Quite frankly, we think this is just the kind of attitude and community spirit we need to get through these tough times!
A bunch of other restaurants and bars have jumped on the bandwagon!
Bungalow 8
One of the country’s largest pub groups, Australian Venue Co, is providing 2000 free meals for staff and other hospitality workers during the lockdown. AVC has put its team to work through the ‘Meal for Hospo Mates’ program, which dishes up free meals for staff and hospitality workers. Each person can collect a Mates Bag of 7 meals (plus one dessert) from Bungalow 8 on King Street Wharf on Friday 9 July & Wednesday 14 July. The Mates Bag will include a Beef Shepherd’s Pie, Sri Lankan Vegetable and Lentil Coconut Curry, Rigatoni Pasta, and more. Workers can claim by submitting a form online here
The Taphouse, Darlinghurst
If you’re a hospo worker who loves a good Chicken Schnitzel, The Taphouse have you sorted in lockdown. The team is offering free Schnitzel or a Vegetarian Pasta Puttanesca if you’re doing it tough in lockdown – no questions asked. You’ll even get it alongside a short of bourbon to soothe the pain. Simply head down there and ask for a ‘Hospo Meal.’
Sneaky Possum, Chippendale
Sneaky Possum is doing their bit to help by offering a free feed, as many times as you need a week. Head down from Monday to Saturday midday to 9pm. Find out more here
The Old Fitzroy
The Old Fitzroy is also offering out of work hospo workers a free meal each day. Tuck into a free Fried Fish Sandwich for the duration of lockdown. Meanwhile, the pub will be selling 6 packs of Hazy In Love lager and donating all proceeds to Old Fitz Theatre.