Sizzle Dining serves up a record 87,483 meals, raises $87,483 for Blessings in a Backpack
The Floridant/10320380

NAPLES, Fla. - Floridant -- In a generous display of community spirit and culinary excellence, Sizzle Dining wrapped up its most successful "dine with purpose" event to date.

Together, the 127 participating Southwest Florida restaurants sold 87,483 meals and more than 8,000 Sizzle cocktails, with $1 from every meal sold going to help Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida, a non-profit organization that provides nutritional food to food insecure elementary students every Friday throughout the school year.

Over the past four years, Sizzle Dining has donated more than $150,000, helping ensure more than 30,000 hunger-free weekends for elementary school students across Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties.

"This year's event once again demonstrated the incredible heart of our restaurant community," said Guy Clarke, executive director of Sizzle Dining. "Local restaurants needed the extra boost during the slow season, and our community came together in record numbers to dine with purpose and raise an extraordinary amount for Blessings in a Backpack. It's proof that when we support local, everyone wins."

The 2025 Sizzle Dining event brought new energy to Southwest Florida's dining scene with exciting culinary offerings, creative prix-fixe menus and special experiences. Restaurants across the region, from neighborhood favorites to fine dining destinations, participated in the four-week celebration of food, community and compassion. Notable mentions from this year's Sizzle Dining include a dollar-for-dollar match from Bone Hook Brewery and Craft Kitchen, with 506 meals sold equating to a $1,102 donation to Blessings in a Backpack.

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"We are absolutely thrilled by the incredible generosity and enormous impact of Sizzle Dining this year. The funds they've raised will ensure that nearly 500 children have food every single weekend of the school year, which is a truly profound blessing. Beyond the financial support, Sizzle Dining's campaign is an unprecedented awareness tool for us; I've personally spoken with new donors who felt compelled to support our mission after learning about us through the Sizzle experience," said Jenn Robinson, managing director, Blessings in a Backpack Southwest Florida.

For the third year in a row, Phelan Family Brands was the top donor with a total of nineteen of its brand restaurants participating. Additionally, six restaurants participating in Sizzle Dining for the first time made it to the top 20 list for restaurant sales, including Estia, Blackbird Modern Asian, Hogfish Harry's, M Waterfront Grille, Tap 42 Craft Kitchen + Bar, Naples and Alice Sweetwater's Bar & Grille.