Efficiencies at heart of Everytable’s unique business model
Small LA restaurant chain mixes for-profit with philanthropic edge
June 19, 2017
It’s not a mirage. Those little storefronts popping up in impoverished areas of Los Angeles really are oases of fresh, healthful, low-cost meals in the city’s “food deserts,” neighborhoods where quality options are largely absent.
Everytable, a for-profit foodservice operation with a philanthropic mission, seeks to serve areas that otherwise have limited access to fresh, affordable food. Its unique business model revolves around keeping costs and prices as low as possible to break even — or eke out a slight profit — in low-income areas, while charging more for the same dishes in higher-income areas.
Prices are in the $4 to $5 range in its two outlets in low-income South L.A., for example, while in the more upscale area of downtown Los Angeles, an Everytable location charges around $8 for the same items, all made in bulk at a central commissary. A fourth location — Everytable’s second in a higher-income area — is slated to open within weeks in Santa Monica, Calif.
In order to fulfill its mission, Everytable prioritizes efficiencies throughout its operation, from procurement to the point of sale.
“We made a couple of decisions early on that we felt were important for keeping costs low,” said David Foster, cofounder of Everytable. “One of those decisions was to have it be a plant-based, ingredient-forward menu. That helps with both cost and health.”
Everytable seeks to provide hearty, filling meals — up to about 12 to 16 ounces per serving — but it limits the meat-based ingredients to a few ounces of lean chicken or other proteins. Trend-forward items such as the California Cobb salad and Puebla Chicken Tinga compare with what diners might expect to find at a mainstream fast-casual restaurant.
The menu also adheres to strict nutritional guidelines, said CEO Sam Polk, who cofounded Everytable with Foster.