The Diner in Vancouver Donates Its Proceeds to Meals on Wheels | Eater Portland

"Tucked off Mill Plain Boulevard in Vancouver, this contemporary American restaurant has green booths and circular light fixtures that give it a retro vibe, and I found the menu extensive while sticking to diner standards: fried-egg-topped burgers, eggs Benedict, challah French toast, and Ruby Jewel ice cream milkshakes are all on offer, with most dishes priced under $10. It also operates as an official Meals on Wheels location serving residents in Multnomah, Washington, and Clark counties, so food-insecure seniors over 60 can eat there even if they can’t afford lunch; Meals on Wheels meals cost $7.39 but members only pay what they can. Because Meals on Wheels meals must meet specific nutritional guidelines, some indulgent items (like mac and cheese or certain milkshakes) aren’t available as donation meals, but younger diners can choose those items to help fund more and better meals for seniors. As Meals on Wheels People CEO Suzanne Washington notes, getting older adults out to socialize in a non-institutional, neighborhood-restaurant setting — “we’re creating a classic, neighborhood restaurant where hopefully people can go, ‘Okay, this is cool. It reminds me of when I was 30’” — is a key goal, and the project aims to generate enough revenue to sustain itself as government funding declines." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden