'Pay as you feel’ pop-up restaurant set to become permanent

A "pay as you feel" pop-up restaurant feeding those in need has hit its $120,000 target to open permanently in Auckland.

Everybody Eats is a restaurant that feeds around 250 diners a week with food that would normally go to landfill.

The pop-up eatery, open on K Road every Monday night, is run by volunteer chefs and waitresses, aiming to reduce food waste by turning rescued food into restaurant quality meals.

Everybody Eats' founder Nick Loosley said hitting the target was a massive win in their fight against food poverty and waste.

“It means there are a number of people in this country that believe in the concept and are willing to contribute financially in order to see it progress.

“We now have the funds to take the concept, which until now has been pop-ups, to a permanent space.”

The campaign allows people to eat for free or pay as much they can afford, with all proceeds going towards leasing a permanent space for the full-time restaurant.

“A lot of our diners do suffer food poverty. They may suffer mental health or substance-abuse issues, but we do get a lot of families, students and young professionals too,” said Mr Loosley.

Rebecca, a volunteer waitress for Everybody Eats, said the pop-up was a really good way for people from all walks of life to mingle and chat with one and other in a friendly and welcoming environment.

All the food used is either donated or rescued as the campaign works under the mantra of "feeding bellies, not bins".

“Around a third of the food that humans produce globally goes to waste, so being able to save a portion of what New Zealanders would normally be wasting and giving it to people who need it is a great feeling,” said Mr Loosley.

Everybody Eats doesn’t just feed people in need - it also works with Toms footwear to provide people in need with adequate shoes for the colder months.

Toms donated 600 pairs of shoes, which could be "bought" for a $90 donation towards the crowdfunding effort to open the restaurant permanently.

For every pair paid for by a crowdfunding donation, another pair was given to someone in need.

A spokesperson from Toms New Zealand said the company was drawn to the Everybody Eats concept because food and shoes were both daily necessities.

“[Shoes] provide warmth, comfort and easy movement for many people going into winter. This was appreciated by the homeless diners in particular. Many diners either had insufficient footwear for winter or shoes that were falling apart.”

Everybody Eats looks to open permanently in the next few months. It can be found on Pledgeme here.