Home-grown, award-winning Thai street food restaurant, Café Isan, has launched its kindness campaign, encouraging people to reach out and perform random acts of kindness, at the time of social distancing.
“Self-isolation is troubling for our collective mental health. While we are serving our food from the heart, cooked with love, we want to encourage everyone to commit a daily act of kindness on another human or animal. Let’s turn the lingo of the coronavirus on its head and create a new pandemic – kindness, says Lisa Knight, partner and co-owner, Café Isan.
While people are feeling lonely and isolated, worried, fighting boredom and facing employment and financial issues, Café Isan believes it is a prime duty to take care of one another in any way we can – sharing meals or masks, sharing jokes or gloves. Letting front line workers know how much we appreciate their efforts or helping an animal in need.
Please tell us about some of Café Isan’s acts of kindness.
Knight: Because we trust our customers, we are asking them to nominate people who could really do with a complimentary meal. That aside, we are handing out meals to essential workers like cleaners who are doing a terrific job, but are in low pay brackets. We will also start selecting nearby hospitals randomly and send surprise food parcels. We are also randomly calling customers to offer complimentary meals. Add to these, our free immunity-boosting ginger, lime and mint tea kits that we are giving away with every food delivery order. And, to raise smiles, we are posting jokes and fun stuff as well as our chef’s new recipe videos through our digital platforms.
How is the café encouraging customers to donate food for those in need?
Knight: At the moment, we are absorbing all the costs. We have not asked our customers to donate. As a small business, in order to absorb the cost, our Chef New and I have decided to sacrifice salaries and profits.
What kind of partnerships is Café Isan building with other home-grown businesses to collectively stay afloat?
Knight: We are currently looking into a range of ideas from sharing riders, even kitchen spaces.
Watsons to open 20 new stores in the GCC
In 2020, global health & beauty retailer AS Watson Group signed its
April 29, 2024 | By Rupkatha BLandmark Group’s ‘Circulife’ could be a “giant leap” towards UAE’s textile circularity goals
“We want to not just match the price; but beat it,” claims Chemist Warehouse CEO
Landmark Group to invest $1-bn to grow the business, open 400 stores
/ 
For decades, Haldiram’s built deep recall across the UAE through its packaged
When House of Habanero opened its first physical location at Alserkal Avenue
Union Coop has completed a significant expansion of its Hatta Souq branch,
Saudi Arabia is set to welcome U.S. food exporters this week, as
Majid Al Futtaim has officially entered the discount retail segment with the
As convenience increasingly becomes currency in the region’s grocery landscape, Union Coop
As wellness becomes a lifestyle in the UAE, the grocery aisle is
Grandiose, one of the leading grocery retailers in the UAE with a
With shifting consumer behaviour, rising cost pressures, regulatory changes, and rapid digitization,
Union Coop’s blend of retail expansion, digital innovation, and community focus is
Abu Dhabi-based MAIR Group has marked a pivotal stage in its transformation
In a move that blurs the line between shopping and investing, Apparel
/ 
Why cinemas, wellness sanctuaries and cultural districts are becoming emotional infrastructure for
For decades, Haldiram’s built deep recall across the UAE through its packaged
When House of Habanero opened its first physical location at Alserkal Avenue
In hospitality, brands are often discussed as concepts. But the strongest ones
From bullion to boutiques, investment to immersion, Dubai Gold District marks a
At Souk Madinat Jumeirah, with the Burj Al Arab rising quietly in
Keto Kartel has entered the UAE’s premium wellness food space at a
With at least seven stores now operating across the country—mainly in Dubai,
The UAE Restaurant Group (UAERG), the official representative body of the country’s
As one of the world’s largest pizza chains, Little Caesars is making
Experiential dining has transformed the restaurant industry inculcating multi-sensory gastronomy to Instagram-worthy
Previous Article
