By Justin Hsieh, Staff Writer
As you look at the morning announcements will demonstrate, virtually every club, team and organization at Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) does dine-out fundraisers. The remarkable prevalence of these fundraisers raises the question: what are dine-out fundraisers, and how do they work?
Dine-out fundraisers, also referred to as in-restaurant fundraisers, occur when an organization seeking to raise money partners with a local restaurant for a given period. Then, a predetermined percent of the restaurant’s earnings from customers who mention the organization are paid back to the organization. The fundraising group gets an opportunity to directly receive revenue through everyday purchases at local businesses, and the eateries benefit from an increase in customers during the fundraising period.
“So people will go up to the register and they either show the flyer that we make, or they can mention our name,” said senior Sarah Nguyen, treasurer of the Fountain Valley KIWIN’S service club. “Depending on the location, we get different amounts of that money back, so at Chipotle, for example, we get 33% and at Blaze Pizza we get 20% back.”
Chipotle’s money-back rate in particular has made it a favorite fundraising location for many FVHS organizations, including both clubs and sports. In the month of October alone, the FVHS boys’ water polo, basketball, baseball, and wrestling teams all held fundraisers at Chipotle. Although increased patronage is an economic motive for Chipotle’s fundraising efforts, they, like many other restaurants, cite a philanthropic motivation as well.
“Each of our restaurants is committed to supporting local groups like neighboring schools, youth sports teams and non-profit organizations,” says the Chipotle website. “One way we do this is by hosting fundraisers at our restaurants.”
To set up a fundraiser at Chipotle, an organization needs to apply 4 weeks in advance through an online application form that includes guidelines that the organization must agree to follow, fields for the requested date, time and location of the fundraiser, and information about the organization. If an organization’s application is approved, then they receive official flyers to disseminate amongst their supporters in the time preceding the fundraiser.
“[To be successful, an organization] really has to get out the word and invite not just the members but invite everyone in the public so that more people go. We recently had a one-day Chipotle fundraiser, and because we advertised a lot, put it on all our social media, and showed our fundraiser banner doing our club meetings, we were able to raise $117. In the summer, when we did a Craved [Tea House] fundraiser for four days, not a lot of people knew about it and even though we got back 50% we only were able to get around $37,” said Nguyen.
Dine-out fundraisers are a huge part of our daily lives, given that so many organizations in our community rely on them to financially support their programs. These events establish positive cycles of support between local businesses and community organizations, and when they are done well they can make an enormous difference in the efforts of students, coaches, and program directors to make our community a better place.
Dine-out fundraisers will be held by FVHS Field Hockey at the Habit from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Nov. 6 and by HB Reads One Book at Lamppost Pizza FV from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Nov. 14.
