Pay what you can: Restaurants around the world open their doors for a day of hospitality

What if you could walk into your favourite restaurant, order as much as you like, and when the bill arrives, simply pay whatever you can afford? Sounds like a dream, right? Well, on August 26, that dream becomes a reality. Restaurants around the world will open their doors for a special ‘pay what you can’ day, giving diners the freedom to enjoy whatever they like and pay whatever amount fits their wallet.

Three Indian restaurants join the global ‘Pay what you can’ day

It all started back in 2020, when Norma Listman and Saqib Keval, the chef-owners of Mexico City’s much-loved Masala y Maiz, set out to reimagine what dining out could mean. For one day, their restaurant became a space where guests could walk in, share a hearty meal and pay whatever they could afford. What began as a simple gesture of goodwill soon grew into something much larger.

Over the years, the idea travelled far beyond Mexico, and inspired restaurants across the world to embrace the spirit of pay-what-you-can dining for a day. This year, India too is becoming a participating member, with three restaurants opening their doors to diners  for an experience rooted in pure hospitality. 

What are the rules?

The rules are simple here: diners can walk into participating restaurants, order a meal of their choice, and pay whatever they believe is a fair price for the food they received. The initiative allows chefs to focus on the dining experience rather than conventional pricing, while giving customers the opportunity to enjoy a quality meal without putting a strain on their wallets. However, beverages are charged at menu prices.  

A change in society?

This might come as a change in the society’s rulebook where everything doesn’t have to be about business. People from all strata can enjoy what fine dining or gourmet food feels like, opening up a brand new experience for them. 

Chef Alex Sanchez from one of the participating restaurants Americano believes the initiative could help change perceptions around fine dining. According to him, "A day where the community is not bound by reservation systems or fixed prices can be a great way for more people to enter spaces they may not have previously felt they had access to. We want to always welcome people from every background and create opportunities to connect with them. An initiative like this has the potential to broaden perceptions of fine dining and gourmet food, and we hope to see more restaurants embrace it."

But how is it beneficial for the brands?

Over a 100 restaurants around the world are observing what they are calling the Global Day of Hospitality. Although restaurant workers across participating brands have not quite been thrilled about the initiative, as it means providing their service for little to no guaranteed amount of payment, they have agreed to the terms, believing that it is ultimately about the warmth and sense of hospitality that brought them into the industry in the first place.

Chef Alex quoted saying, "Restaurants can mean different things to different people, but at their heart, they are spaces that bring people together over a shared experience."

Which food joints in India are participating?

According to reports, Indian restaurants that are participating in the trend include Americano in Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda, Mezcalita in Mumbai’s Bandra, and Mai Mai in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar.

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