As the number of people infected with the coronavirus in the Philly area is growing, many local businesses are considering measures to help slow the spread of the disease. In West Philly, some restaurants, like Renata’s Kitchen, have temporarily suspended dine-in service. No doubt, many places will suffer from reduced business or will have to face temporary closures due to the virus outbreak.

During these trying times, it is important to support local restaurants, eateries and other businesses and help them stay in business. Please consider ordering take-out or delivery or purchasing gift certificates or cards from your favorite spots. 

University City District (UCD) has chimed in and is offering a special promotion that will help restaurants, local employees and the public in the University City area. Now through March 31st, 2020, UCD will match 100 percent of gift card purchases up to $250 per restaurant. Here are more details from the UCD blog:

“UCD will keep the gift cards to use in future promotions and giveaways, and the restaurant keeps the additional revenue. All customers need to do is purchase a gift card – UCD will work directly with participating restaurants to track sales through March 31st, and purchase matching gift cards up to $250 at the conclusion of the program. The gift cards UCD purchases from the restaurants will be used in future UCD giveaways and promotions.”

Customers must contact restaurants directly to see if gift cards may be purchased online or via the phone. You can use Yelp to find contact info for local restaurants or view a list of restaurants UCD partnered with in the past through Dining Days.

This promotion is open to all independent restaurants, coffee shops, and chains with fewer than 10 total
locations that operate within the district (from the Schuylkill River to 50th Street, and Woodland Avenue to Spring Garden). Restaurant operators located within these boundaries who wish to participate can email Margaret@universitycity.org for more details. UPDATE: More restaurants are signing up each day. If you contact a local restaurant and they haven’t signed up, please tell them to reach out to UCD.

“Although this current promotion is aimed at helping local eateries, please remember that all local businesses, from barbershops to nail salons to pet stores to gift shops and everything in between, are in need of support right now,” writes Chris Richman, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager at UCD. “Please consider purchasing gift cards from all of the businesses that contribute to the overall vibrancy of our wonderful neighborhood.”

It’s also critical that we look beyond the strict boundaries of UCD to, for example, shops on 52nd Street, further up Lancaster Avenue and west on Baltimore Avenue.