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Great Plates of Downtown Raises $152,382 to Benefit Food Bank for Larimer County

Downtown Fort Collins, CO – The Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority (DDA), the Food Bank for Larimer County, and 50 participating Downtown Fort Collins restaurants are thrilled to announce the 2023 Great Plates of DowntownTM fundraising total. This year’s promotion raised an unprecedented $152,382 in donations for the Food Bank!

Fifty downtown restaurants welcomed patrons to celebrate Great Plates of Downtown for an 18th consecutive year. From March 1 – 14, participating downtown restaurants offered up limited-time-only $25.00 menu specials and $2.50 a la carte items.

After enjoying their meal, diners were encouraged to share a meal with a neighbor in need by donating directly to the Food Bank.

One hundred percent of donation proceeds support the Food Bank’s mission to “Provide food to all in need through community partnerships and hunger-relief programs.”

As a community fundraiser, Great Plates of Downtown is an annual dining tradition highly anticipated by the restaurant community and patrons. Since forming a partnership with the Food Bank in 2008, donations have grown from a humble $7,360 raised by 29 participating businesses to an impressive $152,382 in 2023 with 50 participants. This year’s donation total was possible due to the hard work of participating restaurants, their staff, and the community’s donations.

"I'm not exaggerating when I say Rodizio Grill absolutely loves supporting those in need in the Northern Colorado community. We wouldn't be able to raise such an incredible amount if it wasn't for our loving staff, passionate about giving back. They can see that the passion resonates from owners down through management to them, bringing us together in a special way no other promotion does. Great Plates of Downtown is 14 days of hard, high-volume restaurant work, and the staff really goes the extra mile to not only deliver an excellent experience to our guests but also rally when faced with the challenge of helping those in need. I'm proud, too, of our sister restaurant group: The Melting Pot Fort Collins, Social, and Union Bar & Soda Fountain, for joining us in raising a combined total of over $80,000 this year. Great job, everyone!"

JJ Streater, Director of Operations of Choice City Hospitality, LLC., and Rodizio Grill Fort Collins Co-Owner

For every $1 donated, the Food Bank can provide two meals’ worth of food. Over the last 15 years, Great Plates of Downtown has raised $1,157,328, allowing the Food Bank to continue pursuing its vision for “A hunger-free Larimer County.” For more information on the Food Bank for Larimer County, visit foodbanklarimer.org.

“What an incredible showing of support for the cause to fight hunger. We are so grateful for the hard work of the DDA, our amazing local restaurants, and for the generosity of our community for their donations. In 2022 alone, our services provided enough food to create 8.3 million meals for those facing food insecurity. We couldn’t provide this kind of outreach without the contributions of those in Larimer County.”

Amy Pezzani, CEO of Food Bank of Larimer County

Regarding Food Bank donations collected, this year’s top five fundraising restaurants are Rodizio Grill, Social, The Melting Pot, Sonny Lubick Steakhouse, and Union Bar & Soda Fountain.

Additional thanks go to all of the 2023 Great Plates Participants:

  • Ace Gillett’s Lounge & Supper Club
  • Austin’s American Grill
  • Beau Jo’s Colorado Style Pizza
  • Ben & Jerry’s
  • Big Al’s Burgers & Dogs
  • Bistro Nautile
  • Blanchard Family Wines
  • Blue Agave Grill
  • Butterfly Cafe
  • Choice City Butcher & Deli
  • Comet Chicken
  • CooperSmith’s Pub & Brewing
  • Mugs Old Town
  • Old Town Churn Ice Cream
  • Philippe French Bistro
  • Pour Brothers
  • RARE Italian
  • Restaurant 415
  • Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant
  • Rodizio Grill
  • Silver Grill Cafe
  • Social
  • Sonny Lubick Steakhouse
  • STUFT a burger bar

About the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority

The Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority (DDA) was established in 1981 with the goal of revitalizing the central business district. The DDA combines public and private investments through tax increment financing to achieve this objective and emphasizes community initiatives that benefit downtown. In 2020, the DDA introduced the Business Marketing and Communications Program, which employs traditional and innovative methods to promote economic, cultural, and social growth through a variety of initiatives.

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