Free Brunch Doubles as Fundraiser Ruby Slipper and Toast are combining a business opportunity with community impact on Saturday, July 11, when the New Orleans brunch chain opens its Mid City restaurant (315 S. Broad St.) for a one-day fundraiser benefiting No Kid Hungry. Guests will receive complimentary meals and are encouraged to donate what they would have spent. Toast, the restaurant technology platform, will match every dollar donated—a structure designed to double the campaign's reach. The event runs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Summer Hunger Gap Driving Urgency The timing addresses a documented gap in child nutrition.

With an estimated 1 in 4 children in Louisiana facing hunger, summer months pose particular challenges when school meal programs aren't available. Last year, Ruby Slipper guests raised more than $9,500 for No Kid Hungry, which Toast's matching doubled. "At Ruby Slipper, brunch has always been about bringing people together," said Jennifer Weishaupt, co-founder of Ruby Slipper. "On July 11, we're inviting our community to gather around the table for something bigger than breakfast. It's a simple idea: enjoy brunch on us and, if you're able, donate what you would have spent to help ensure more children have meals this summer." Jackie Martin, Global Head of Inclusion & Impact at Toast, framed the partnership as a demonstration of restaurant sector leadership. "Restaurants have always played an important role in bringing communities together," Martin said. "Partnering with Ruby Slipper makes it easy for guests to turn brunch into support for children in need. It's inspiring to see how restaurants and the people they serve can make a real difference together."

Background Ruby Slipper, founded in New Orleans in 2008, operates 26 restaurants across six states under two brands—Ruby Slipper and Ruby Sunshine. In 2025, both brands earned recognition as among America's top breakfast chains in Newsweek's Readers' Choice Awards (No. 2 nationally) and won Nation's Restaurant News' 2025 Breakfast Showdown. For event details, guests can follow @BrunchWithRuby on Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook, or visit RubyBrunch.com to join a wait list.

Why It Matters

This model demonstrates how restaurant operators can leverage foot traffic and POS technology to drive charitable giving while filling seats during daypart-specific programming. Toast's matching pledge removes friction from the donation decision and creates a tangible incentive for customer participation—a replicable framework for other chains seeking to balance community engagement with incremental revenue.

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Written by FBM Publications Editors