Georgia Election Day 2018 Restaurant Freebies And Community Food Initiatives

The 2018 midterm elections in Georgia saw significant political engagement, with many restaurants and businesses offering special promotions and freebies to encourage civic participation. While technically illegal to offer free items exclusively to voters, numerous Atlanta-area establishments creatively circumvented this by making their Election Day deals available to all customers. These offers ranged from complimentary food and beverages to discounts on purchases, reflecting both business support for voting rights and community efforts to make the election process more accessible and enjoyable for Georgians.

Restaurant and Bar Specials Across Atlanta

Atlanta's dining scene embraced the 2018 Election Day with numerous establishments offering special promotions. Many of these offers were cleverly structured to comply with legal restrictions while still encouraging voter participation.

Empire State South in Midtown stood out by offering complimentary snaquiris—tiny daiquiris meant to be taken as shots or consumed in two sips—to all guests wearing an "I'm A Georgia Voter" sticker. This creative beverage promotion provided voters with a celebratory treat after casting their ballots.

Several coffee shops joined in the Election Day spirit. Revelator Coffee locations offered $1 off orders to customers displaying their voter stickers, while also announcing that some locations would close early to allow staff time to vote. Similarly, Muchacho in Reynoldstown provided complimentary cups of coffee to voters, recognizing their civic duty.

Ice cream enthusiasts benefited from special offers at Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream shops, where customers received an extra scoop of ice cream with the purchase of a standard or single cone or cup throughout Election Day. Meanwhile, Farm Burger extended free fries to all customers who mentioned a specific social media post, with all Atlanta-based Farm Burger locations opening at 12:30 p.m. to accommodate employees' morning voting schedules.

Several establishments focused on alcoholic beverages as their Election Day promotion. Xocolatl offered 20 percent off all online orders using the promo code IAMAVOTER. Bocado in Westside and Bocado Burger in Alpharetta provided complimentary draft beer with the purchase of a regular burger. Sweet Auburn BBQ in Poncey-Highland offered half-priced select pints and cocktails for anyone wearing their voter sticker.

Other notable promotions included: - 4 Rivers Smokehouse on Marietta Street offering free cupcakes from The Sweet Shop to voters - Various restaurants extending happy hour specials or offering unique "survival kits" for election night

Community Initiatives: Food at the Polls

Beyond individual restaurant promotions, several community-based initiatives emerged to support voters and election workers during the 2018 midterms. These grassroots efforts demonstrated broader community engagement with the democratic process.

The Georgia 55 Project originated during the 2018 midterm elections, initially as #ProtestPizzaATL before evolving into a full coalition with hundreds of volunteers. The project's name reflects both the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the 55,000-vote difference between Stacey Abrams and Brian Kemp in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial race. This initiative partnered with multiple Atlanta-area restaurants to provide snacks, water, and other foodstuffs to people waiting in line at polling locations throughout metro Atlanta.

After Election Day, leftover food and supplies from the Georgia 55 Project were donated to several community organizations, including Free99Fridge (an Atlanta community fridge project), Covenant House youth shelter, Nicolas House (which supports unhoused individuals), and local schools with students in need of free lunches.

In DeKalb and Clayton counties, Atlanta-based writer, podcaster, and documentary filmmaker King Williams led a "pizza to the polls" initiative. Williams aimed to distribute not only food but also masks to voters. Community members could support this effort by sending funds to $IAmKingWilliams via CashApp or IAmKingWilliams via Venmo. Any remaining funds after November 3 were donated to Hosea Feed the Hungry program, part of Hosea Helps, with leftover food and supplies going to the Atlanta Union Mission.

Professional chefs also contributed to the effort to support voters. Chef Hugh Acheson, along with chefs Andy Gonzales of Steinbeck's Ale House and the Companion, Chris Wilkins of Root Baking Co., and Rob Birdsong of Glide Pizza, planned to provide 2,000 meals to eight polling locations throughout Georgia on November 3. These meals ensured that both voters and election workers had access to food during the long election day.

Additional community support came from Georgia's Own Credit Union, which partnered with Insomnia Cookies to deliver 2,020 free cookies to the polls beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Central Park Recreation Center polling precinct in Old Fourth Ward. The volunteer initiative monitored local news and social media for polling locations experiencing long lines to deliver additional cookies. Voters waiting in line could also tag #GeorgiasOwnVote on Twitter and Instagram to request cookie deliveries.

Moonbird Coffee planned to distribute coffee and snacks at polling locations, with community members able to donate additional snacks at the Chamblee-based coffee shop before November 3. Victory Brand restaurants committed to delivering 1,000 sandwiches to poll locations throughout Atlanta on Election Day.

Restaurant Closures on Election Day

In contrast to the many promotions, several Atlanta restaurants chose to close on Election Day to allow their employees time to vote. This list of closures included notable establishments such as:

• Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q
• Spiller Park Coffee (Toco Hills and Ponce City Market locations)
• Empire State South
• Salaryman
• Lazy Betty
• Redbird
• Ruby Chow's
• Bon Ton
• The Lawrence
• Victory Sandwich Shop (Inman Park and Decatur locations)
• Lloyd's
• Little Trouble
• Victory Coffee and Calamity
• Socks Love Barbecue
• Kimball House
• Hodgepodge Coffee House
• Cooks & Soldiers
• Sugo
• Double Zero
• The Iberian Pig (Decatur and Buckhead locations)
• Bar Mercado
• Recess
• O-Ku
• Oak Steakhouse
• Colletta
• Oz Pizza locations (closing at 4 p.m.)
• Ticonderoga Club (closing at 5 p.m.)

These closures reflected businesses' commitment to supporting their employees' right to vote, even if it meant temporarily suspending operations.

The Legal Landscape of Election Day Promotions

While numerous businesses offered Election Day specials, it's important to note that Georgia law technically prohibits offering free items exclusively to voters. To comply with these regulations, most Atlanta restaurants structured their promotions to be available to all customers, regardless of whether they had voted. This legal nuance explains why many offers were framed as "available to everyone" rather than exclusively for voters.

The Georgia 55 Project and similar initiatives operated in a different legal space, as they focused on providing food and water to people at polling locations rather than offering incentives specifically for voting. These community efforts helped ensure that voters, particularly those waiting in long lines, had access to basic necessities during the election process.

The Impact of 2018 Election Day Initiatives

The 2018 midterms in Georgia represented a pivotal moment in state politics, with highly competitive races that garnered national attention. The numerous Election Day freebies and community initiatives reflected both the significance of these elections and the desire of Atlanta's business and civic communities to support the democratic process.

The Georgia 55 Project, which began during these elections, has continued to evolve, demonstrating the potential for grassroots initiatives to address community needs during significant civic events. Similarly, the partnerships formed between restaurants and community organizations in 2018 have provided models for future elections and other civic events.

For consumers, the 2018 Election Day in Georgia offered numerous opportunities to enjoy free food and drinks while participating in the democratic process. These promotions, combined with the community efforts to support voters, created an environment that encouraged civic engagement while also supporting local businesses.

Conclusion

The 2018 Election Day in Georgia showcased numerous creative approaches to supporting voters while complying with legal restrictions. From restaurant promotions offering free food and drinks to community initiatives providing necessities at polling locations, Atlanta demonstrated a commitment to making the election process more accessible and enjoyable. The Georgia 55 Project, which originated during these elections, has continued to grow, highlighting the lasting impact of these grassroots efforts. For consumers, the 2018 midterms provided numerous opportunities to enjoy local offerings while participating in civic life, reflecting the intersection of business, community, and democratic engagement in Georgia.

Sources

1. Election Day Food and Drink Specials Around Atlanta (2018)
2. Restaurants, Bars, Coffee Shops Closed, Election Day Food & Drink Deals 2020 Atlanta
3. Athens Coffee Shops Offer Free Coffee and Chocolate for Election Day