Guest Commentary| Dine with purpose and support Southwest Florida’s hospitality industry this September
When tourist season ends and crowds thin out over the summer, many local businesses – especially our restaurants – experience a dip in foot traffic and revenue. To keep the doors open, help employees feed their families and positively impact our community, local restaurants need a boost this time of year.
That’s really what sparked my desire to create Sizzle Dining. The annual culinary event encourages residents and visitors to dine locally during September, traditionally the slowest month of the year in Southwest Florida’s hospitality industry while supporting a cause that is deeply personal to me – feeding hungry children.
Founded in 2016, Sizzle Dining has grown into Southwest Florida’s premiere restaurant event showcasing the impressive culinary talent of our region, including some hidden gems that deserve to be discovered. Sizzle Dining includes two-course breakfasts and/or lunches priced at $19 or $29, and three-course dinners starting at $29, $39 or $49.
Over the past nearly 10 years, along with my wife and co-founder, Erin, Sizzle Dining has grown to four weeks and this year is featuring a record 127 participating restaurants in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties. We built a team and even assembled a “Sizzle Squad” of foodies and lifestyle influencers that help amplify our events. Most importantly, and the icing on the cake, is that $1 of every meal sold during Sizzle Dining goes back to Blessings in a Backpack to provide food on weekends so children don’t go hungry. Thanks to our sponsors, participating restaurants and all those who dine during Sizzle, we’ve raised more than $150,000 to benefit Blessings in a Backpack Southwest Florida.
The way I see it, Sizzle Dining is a win-win-win:
• Restaurants experience an uptick in revenue and their staff can continue earning wages to feed their families, pay their bills and contribute to our local economy.
• Customers have opportunities to try new restaurants and enjoy specially curated dining experiences at lower price points.
• Hungry children in Southwest Florida can have access to food on weekends.
As someone who grew up food insecure, I recognize those backpacks stuffed with food are a big blessing to children and their families.
Over the years, I’ve been grateful to witness the ripple effect that Sizzle Dining has on the community. Local growers, like Farmer Mike’s in Lee County, offer discounts to participating restaurants that purchase their produce, helping control expenses for the businesses. Other local businesses, from companies that supply linens and uniforms to food and beverage suppliers, also benefit from the uptick in restaurant patrons.
In 2024, local restaurants served 62,529 Sizzle Dining meals. When you consider the cost of those meals, plus additional beverage sales, it adds up to more than $3 million in local impact that helps feed our population – and economy – during a slower period in Southwest Florida.
Interested in trying a few new restaurants? Visit sizzledining.orgfor a complete list of participating restaurants, broken down by city, and to view their special lunch and dinner menus. Then, make a reservation – it’s that easy. Sizzle Dining offers a great opportunity to try new restaurants and cuisine, have some fun, and support the community and a great cause.
Guy E. Clarke II is the executive director of Sizzle Events and a founder of Sizzle Dining.