Dave Portnoy and Marcus Lemonis pledged to donate a combined $1 million to create a relief fund for restaurants in New York City affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Marcus Lemonis, a businessman and the host of CNBC’s The Profit, challenged the founder of Barstool Sports to contribute in response to a video Portnoy posted on Friday morning about New York’s suspension of indoor dining.
“I can’t believe that in this country, what I consider the most basic right of them all, the right to earn a living, the right to earn a livelihood, is now being stolen by a few politicians who believe they are smarter than me and you,” Portnoy said.
Lemonis responded that night, “Hey [Dave] Put your money where your mouth is.. I’ll put up 500k if you match it to create a relief fund for NYC area restaurants.”
Hey @stoolpresidente Put your money where your mouth is.. I’ll put up 500k if you match it to create a relief fund for NYC area restaurants https://t.co/YX9ekBK3Pu
— Marcus Lemonis (@marcuslemonis) December 12, 2020
“Even though he’s worth a hundred gazillion, I’m worth far less, I’m in,” Portnoy said on Saturday. “I love the idea. Let’s do it.”
“Marcus, you figure out how to do it,” he added. “You figure out the logistics, your business. The money, 500 grand, the promotion, raising it, I am 100% in.”
Hey @marcuslemonis I’m in https://t.co/9dnBuo4T82 pic.twitter.com/k1VjKJzvxS
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) December 12, 2020
In September, the National Restaurant Association reported that nearly 100,000 restaurants had closed down either permanently or long-term since the first coronavirus-related shutdown.
“For an industry built on service and hospitality, the last six months have challenged the core understanding of our business,” said Tom Bené, the association’s president and CEO. “Our survival for this comes down to the creativity and entrepreneurship of owners, operators, and employees. Across the board, from independent owners to multi-unit franchise operators, restaurants are losing money every month, and they continue to struggle to serve their communities and support their employees.”
Lemonis, whose show focuses on his efforts to invest his own money in struggling businesses, has already been working to provide assistance to those in need. Lemonis kick-started the Plating Change initiative, which, in partnership with Grubhub, supports local restaurants and combats food insecurity.
