The Sidgmore Family Foundation is helping struggling restaurants in Saratoga TODAY.
Their program, Split The Bill NY, will cover 50% of a patron’s bill, up to $30, at any participating restaurant all day Thursday Feb. 11.
Their website says: “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many restaurants to shut their doors, leaving employees without work and forcing owners to lose their businesses. All you need to do is order out or dine in at any of our Participating Restaurants, and we'll split the bill with you.*”
The asterisk is significant.
Although the process is simple, it behooves readers to pay attention to the small print.
Among other details, the online reimbursement form requires:
- A picture of the food that you ordered. (“Without the photo, we unfortunately cannot reimburse you”)
- A photo of the printed receipt (no handwritten ones).
- A PayPal/Venmo account; there is no other way to get reimbursed.
The site also encourages social media postings with the hashtag #SplitTheBillNY, but that does not appear to be a requirement.
The aim, the website says, is to help small, family-run restaurants, bars, coffee shops and bakeries. Most of the participating restaurants are downtown, but a few are on the southern and northern reaches of the city.
The program runs just today, from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
Support on the site also comes from the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, Stella Artois, Driscoll Foods and Saratoga Eagle.