For years, fans of DC Central Kitchen have been able to purchase our delicious, scratch-cooked lunch favorites at our three thriving cafes across DC. Each cafe’s location is iconic in its own way, from our headquarters on the banks of the Anacostia to the historic Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Now, you can grab a healthy, delicious DC Central Kitchen lunch at more iconic DC locations! Earlier this year, we began providing our salads, wraps, and sandwiches to kiosks on the National Mall as well as boathouses and marinas on the Potomac River. And now, more locations are getting on board!
Why does an organization known for bringing nutritious meals to shelters and schools and training people for culinary careers now sell fresh food on the National Mall and DC waterfront? “Every item sold is a chance to create good jobs, bring more neighbors into our work, and fuel our fast-growing anti-hunger programs,” says CEO Mike Curtin, Jr. “As social enterprise, earning our own revenue gives us flexibility in meeting local needs, resilience in the face of changes to nonprofit funding, and added capacity in providing quality employment and hands-on training to our culinary students. That, as we say often, is good business.”
Each retail salad, wrap, and sandwich is branded under the DC Central Kitchen Cafe label, which means it comes with a sticker explaining the role our Cafe model plays in fighting hunger differently and mirrors what we sell in our three Cafe locations. The fresh, locally-sourced, high-quality food is what customers purchase and enjoy, but, according to our partners, it’s the story behind these products that keep people coming back.
One of the operators of these locations is Guest Services, Inc. The 109-year-old hospitality company services more than 250 facilities nationwide, predominately working with large-scale kitchens. When we asked their Vice President of Operations Chris Bloyer about why they chose to partner up with DCCK, he thought the answer was obvious. “You [DCCK] offer good products, but it’s [also] a great story. People come to the display where we have the product and they see your story. First and foremost, the food has to be good, and it is. But the story is such a big part of it. We really like to lean into that, to let people know that, if you buy this chicken wrap, you’re going to support them.” In that spirit of support, in addition to serving as a business partner of DC Central Kitchen, Guest Services, Inc., has also been a proud sponsor of Capital Food Fight, our annual signature fundraising event with the next edition set for November 12.
Recent sales make it clear that carrying DCCK products is good business. “Feedback has been great because we’re selling more,” says Bloyer. “Our sales increased when we introduced your product.”
Due to popular demand, we’re expanding our offerings and partner locations!
You can currently find DC Central Kitchen salads, wraps, and sandwiches at the Thompson Boat Center in Georgetown and Key Bridge Boathouse in Georgetown (recently named one of D.C.’s best no bar happy hours according to Axios DC!), both operated by Adventures Unbound by Guest Services. Stop by these partner locations today and help us fight hunger in DC, one sale at a time!