An Egyptian restaurant is offering free food for one hour each day to customers who cannot afford to pay for their meal.
With rising food prices in Egypt and a battered economy, the 'Kebda and Shawerma' restaurant in the Cairo neighborhood of Dokki is offering free sausage, liver and shawerma sandwiches.
The initiative, which restaurant owner Mahmoud started last month, has proved a great success, evidenced by long lines of people waiting for sandwiches during the 'free hour' each day.
Restaurant manager Khaled Al Shemi said that the restaurant also benefits from the scheme as, not only do they help the needy, they also receive positive publicity for the business.
“The shawerma sandwich costs eight Egyptian pounds, so we discovered that some people pass by the restaurant and feel like the price is too expensive for them. Naturally Mr Mahmoud suggested the free hour idea in order to allow those who cannot afford food to eat at our restaurant and at the same time it gives the restaurant good publicity,” he said.
The restaurant does not set a limit on how many people they serve during the free hour, with each customer allowed a maximum of five sandwiches worth a total of 20 Egyptian pounds (1 USD).
Egypt's taxes have continued to rise, subsidies have been removed and inflation is around 20 percent. All this is eating away at living standards and hitting Cairo's poor the hardest.
Customer Mohamed Bayoumi praised the restaurant for their charitable scheme.
“Some people can't afford food so yes it is definitely a good thing. It is a good thing for people in general. You can see the amount of people standing here who need food but can't afford it. We are talking about a good meal for lunch in a place like this that's all we need,” he said.
Kebda and Shawerma uses an alternative business model where employees themselves invest and help fund the restaurant, receiving a share of profits rather than salaries.
The collective means the restaurant can better afford to provide free food, said Head Chef Ahmed Samir.
“Everyone who works here is contributing to the restaurant, the idea came from the idea of making a business that instead of becoming an employee who works for an employer, the business allows me to employ my labor and money. Like I said earlier, there is strength in solidarity and that each one of us is responsible for his tasks,” Samir said.
Economists say prices are expected to rise again this year as a result of the government's reforms, affecting even more people.
With little sign of economic relief, Kebda and Shawerma not planning to stop their free food initiative any time soon and plan to open other branches around Cairo.
REUTERS