New York City restaurants offer actors ‘eat now, pay later’ meals
‘Your success has been our success," the restaurants said in a post
NYC Hospitality Alliance Executive Director Andrew Rigie discusses how coronavirus dining restrictions have affected his industry.
Artists and performers have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, but at least two New York City restaurants are taking action to help them out.
Marseille and Nizza, sister restaurants in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, announced earlier this week that they will let Broadway actors “eat now and pay later.”
According to Nizza’s website, participants have to be Actors’ Equity cardholders and must set up a house account with the French (Marseille) and Italian (Nizza) restaurants.
The “eat now, pay later” program is available to participants every night starting at 9 p.m. until the restaurants close.
“We have deep roots in this neighborhood,” Robert Guarino, Marseille’s general manager told WABC. “We’ve been here since 2001 with Marseille. We opened up two months after 9/11. Nizza was October of 2007. So we’ve really been a part of, you know, kind of the rebirth of Hell’s Kitchen.”
He added that the restaurants feel a strong connection to the theater industry because of how close they are to Broadway.
“So often we were the appetizer for the main course of the evening, which was the performances,” Guarino said.
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However, now that theaters are closed until at least May 30, Marseille and Nizza wanted to help actors out.
Two restaurants in New York City are offering Actors' Equity cardholders "pay now, eat later" meals. (iStock)
"It's very important to us that Broadway comes back and that all the talented actors and talents stay here and are ready when it returns, and we'll all be here together,” Guarino said.
Marseille and Nizza posted about the program on social media earlier this week.
“For the past 20 years, these restaurants have been the home of many actors & theatergoers pre and post performance,” a post from the restaurants said. “Your success has been our success. Now, as the industry has been decimated due to Covid-19, we want to make sure that the arts community stays well fed and well loved.”
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“The restaurants will keep a house account for each Equity member who dines after 9PM any day of the week,” the post continued. “When the theater returns to New York, and actors start working again, the amount owed can be paid off as slowly or as quickly as possible, if at all. Our gratitude and respect for you and what you do is immense. We are hopeful this program will allow you to have some stress free fun during these challenging times.”
Actors who want to participate are recommended to make a reservation ahead of time and let the restaurants know they are Equity members when they make their reservation.
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