Restaurant Ordering Online Sponsorship Program

The Downtown Alliance has partnered with BentoBox to launch the Restaurant Online Ordering Sponsorship Program — part of a continuing effort to support businesses that are being adversely impacted by the effects of COVID-19.

BentoBox will provide eligible restaurants their own delivery and takeout platforms in an effort to help make those services more profitable. The program will offer access to a plug-and-play e-commerce experience that can be customized for each business and will cover one year of services.

Eligible restaurants are those with gross annual revenues of less than $3 million and fewer than 30 full-time-equivalent employees, and must be located south of Chambers Street and the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan (delineated on this map).

The program will include a Zoom orientation webinar for BentoBox to introduce participants to its services as well as the procedures to activate and manage the online ordering platform. BentoBox will also demonstrate the associated turn-key marketing potential of the platform that is available to restaurants. There is no cost to eligible restaurants associated with BentoBox’s group orientation, individual restaurant onboarding, platform setup, product usage and technical support for a period of 12 months, all made possible by the Downtown Alliance.

The program is designed to empower restaurants to work directly with BentoBox during an extended trial period to explore and test the services provided. Any decision to continue working with BentoBox after the 12-month sponsorship is at the sole discretion and responsibility of the participating restaurant and BentoBox. The Downtown Alliance assumes no responsibility for the relationship between BentoBox and any participating restaurant past the initial 12-month trial period.

To be eligible for the program, restaurants must meet the following requirements:

• Currently be open, or certify that they will reopen as of October 1, 2020. Restaurants who certify that they will open by October 1, 2020 may participate in the Zoom orientation prior to reopening, and their onboarding and setup will take place upon reopening.

• Be located south of Chambers Street and the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan.

• Be an independent restaurant with five or fewer locations in New York City; national chains and franchises are ineligible.

• Have fewer than 30 full-time-equivalent employees as of October 1, 2020.

• Gross annual revenue less than $3 million for applicant’s most recent tax year.