Help Chiquita’s Team Members
Chiquita’s Mexican Restaurant on Home Avenue has been proud of our community ever since 1967, when we first opened our doors as a family-owned restaurant serving homestyle Mexican food and drinks.
Run by generations of Rodriguez family members over the years, we're the Cheers of San Diego: everyone at Chiquita's knows your name, and we welcome people from all walks of life to come share a beer and some tacos with us. Over the past 50+ years, we've been witness to many beautiful moments and memories, with faces both new and familiar. We've seen couples meet at Chiquita's, we've met the kids they eventually have, and we've even seen those kids grow up, turn into adults, and bring in kids of their own to come celebrate as a family at Chiquita's.
Unfortunately, like many other small businesses, we've been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects it has had on our ability to operate. Although we're open for takeout orders at this time and we're working on selling fresh meat and produce to local community members (so that we don't negatively impact our farmers and suppliers as well), we've made the extremely difficult decision to temporarily lay off all other staff while the restaurant is not open for regular dining and bar business. We've seen a lot of ups and downs over the years, but this current crisis is unlike anything we've ever faced before, and we're having a hard time.
Taking care of our amazing and dedicated employees, many of whom have lovingly worked at Chiquita's for decades, has always been our number one priority. While we're grateful that we've been able to provide for all our loyal customers and neighbors with our takeout business at this time, we're also looking for ways to get our team some income while their home away from home is closed. Unemployment benefits and sick leave can only go so far for our incredible cooks, servers, dishwashers, and bartenders, especially for those who have young children or rely on Chiquita's as their only source of income -- so we need your help to make sure they can make ends meet right now.
Chiquita's has a long history of giving back to its community: we were proud to provide food for Cesar Chavez and his marchers during the United Farm Workers strike in the 1960s, we regularly bring in local artists and musicians for Chiquita's patrons to appreciate and enjoy, we are active members of our local neighborhood association and donated to help clean up Azealea Park, we give to a San Diego fund that directly benefits the widows and orphans of local police officers, and we also contribute gift certificates to a local organization that provides food for those with HIV/AIDS. Our commitment to helping others in need is strong, and we practice what we preach with our incredible hospitality every single day.
Now, we need YOU to help keep our employees afloat during these difficult times. Our restaurant profit margins were razor-thin to begin with, and we're struggling to take care of everything at once. We're asking for donations that will directly help the staff who created this community in the first place and have since helped shape Chiquita's into the favorite local hangout that you all know and love.
If you are able to, please give what's in your heart. Tip us like you would if our doors were still open. We promise we'll be sharing it with the whole Chiquita's family, and it will make a huge difference in all of our individual lives.
On behalf of Gabriel, George, Christina, Lupe, Chuy, Yadi, Mary, Margarita, Kimberly, Brenda, Erica, Colleen, Savannah, Lilia, Chayo, Nati, Ismael, Rafi, Javier, Gregorio, Martin, Jiame, Yolandi, Aricelle, Maria, and Yadira: thank you, truly. We can’t wait to reopen our doors and to host the party of the year with y’all! #SmallBusinessRelief
