Rotary ‘order-bombs’ Gig Harbor restaurants to give them a boost

They call it “order-bombing,” and it’s the latest twist in community efforts to keep restaurants in business during the pandemic.

Gig Harbor’s three Rotary clubs have taken the lead, choosing one restaurant a week to flood with orders from Rotarian families and friends.

During the first week, more than 40 Rotarians ordered takeout meals at Moctezuma’s. During the second week, Devoted Kiss and Hy Iu Hee Hee were targeted. Last week Fondi’s was the restaurant of choice, and this week, recently-reopened Anthony’s was the restaurant of choice.

And the tactic works, said Jim Castino, a Gig Harbor architect who is one of the organizers.

In one day, Fondi’s restaurant did more than 80 takeout orders, raising over $1,200. On April 28, Anthony’s put up similar numbers, providing takeout for more than 100 Gig Harbor customers.

“It meant a lot and felt really special,” said Jenny Bean, the general manager at Anthony’s, which recently re-opened for curbside pickup.

“It was so nice to see a lot of their faces, they are a great group of people,” Bean said.

Chris Olsen, the owner of Fondi’s, said when Rotarian’s order-bombed his restaurant, three phones were ringing nonstop throughout the day.

“I thought it was fabulous,” Olsen said. “Gig Harbor has been so supportive for all of the local restaurants. We are a small town, and the heart comes out.”

Olsen said he saw a 23 percent increase over a four-week trend in sales the day Rotarians swarmed his restaurant.

In order to not catch restaurants off guard, the Rotary clubs plan with the restaurant which day they will order food.

“It works with a time window,” Castino said. “We ask the restaurant what day of week is their slowest day. Then we get the word out to our Rotary members through a collective website. We give them a time window and then the members make their orders individually.”

When President of Mid-Day Rotary Club, Rick Offner, was approached with Castino’s idea, he immediately jumped on board.

“The motto of Rotary is service above self. Even in this time of pandemic we are looking at opportunities we can support the community,” Offner said.

Bob Anderson, president of Rotary North, was equally excited about the opportunity.

“It allows us to follow up with some of the organizations in the community who have been supporting us,” Anderson said. “Fondi’s was a big supporter of our high school youth trip to Guatemala. Rotary has a saying that Rotary connects the world, and we want to make sure it connects the community.”

Castino said the clubs are considering broadening their approach to other struggling businesses, in addition to restaurants.

The Key Peninsula Business Association has been doing much the same thing, said Gina Cabiddu, vice-president of the group. Their first target was El Sombrero in Lakebay.

“The thing about businesses is they are the backbone of our community, Cabiddu said. “They provide resources and goods to the consumers. Usually they are small, family owned operations,”

“When our businesses do well, our community does well,” she added.

The Gig Harbor restaurant Rotarians have selected this week is BBQ2U, which has been providing meals to senior citizens.

This story was originally published May 6, 2020 at 9:03 PM.