A global day of action for restaurants

On August 26, 2026, restaurants around the world are invited to dedicate one day of service to a model rooted in generosity, access, and collective care.

Developed through years of practice at Masala y Maíz in Mexico City, this initiative invites restaurants to offer the full expression of their food and hospitality while allowing guests to pay what they are able.

Learn How It Works

One Day. Many Cities. many countries. many workers.

Shared Hospitality.

Restaurants, bakeries, and cafés around the world are invited to participate in Eat What You Want, Pay What You Can on August 26, 2026.

Join a growing network committed to expanding access to dining, building community and reimagining what hospitality can be.

Join the Initiative

About the Initiative

Eat What You Want, Pay What You Can is an invitation to rethink how restaurants serve their communities. At a time when rising costs and inequality make dining out increasingly inaccessible, participating restaurants dedicate one day of service to a model that prioritizes access, generosity, and shared responsibility.

Rooted in a simple but powerful idea — that restaurants can open their doors wider and create space for more people at the table — the initiative invites guests to experience the full spirit of a dining room, from its cooking and service to its atmosphere and sense of welcome, without money being the deciding factor.

What began as a community practice at Masala y Maíz has grown into a global call for restaurants to act together. Each participating team interprets the model in its own way, creating a shared moment in which hospitality becomes a tool for connection, dignity, and cultural exchange.

The 2026 global day of action builds on Masala y Maíz’s citywide initiative in Mexico City, when more than twenty restaurants opened their doors to their communities without money being a barrier.

This year, participating restaurants around the world are invited to use a shared playbook developed by Masala y Maíz and join together with like minded restaurants adapt the model to their own service style, team capacity, and local realities.

This collective action aims to imagine new possibilities for how restaurants can operate — not only as businesses, but as spaces of care, cultural exchange, and social connection.

how it started

Hospitality without barriers

Got questions?

“For over eight years, across our different restaurants, we’ve been hosting Paga Lo Que Puedas / Pay What You Can days. They have always been our favorite days in the restaurant. As Masala y Maíz has grown in visibility and awards, these days have become even more grounding — a reminder of why we cook and who we cook for.

The Paga Lo Que Puedas / Pay What You Can allow us to focus on what we love most: cooking good food, feeding people, and offering hospitality with care and dignity.

On these days, the dining room fills with a remarkable mix of people — neighbors, industry, families, elders, first-timers, and long-time supporters. Some guests pay more, some less, but what remains constant is a sense of generosity and trust.”

In 2025, we invited other restaurants to join us and the response was tremendous. Over 20 restaurants participated, including three with Michelin stars, alongside bakeries and cafés. Restaurants reached out from around the world, and we realized this could become something larger — a shared, international gesture rooted in hospitality. We would be honored for you to join us.

- Saqib Keval & Norma Listman, Co-Chefs & Co-Owners, Masala y Maiz

A shared model, adapted by each restaurant.

Eat What You Want, Pay What You Can is designed as a one-day service model that restaurants can interpret according to their own capacity, cuisine, and community. The goal is simple: to open the dining room wider while maintaining the same standards of care, quality, and hospitality that define the restaurant’s everyday work.

Participating restaurants are invited to commit one full service — or a full day of service — to the initiative, offering guests the opportunity to experience the complete spirit of the restaurant and pay what they are able.

participating restaurants

These are the first restaurants to join. Sign up to add your city and restaurant.

New York City

Kabawa

Theodora

HAG’s

Vato

Hellbender

Mexico City

Masala y Maiz

Expendio de Maiz

Baldio

Outline

Ahumalia

Panaderia Cinco y Dos

Sobremesa Desayunador

Bao Bao

Mux

Malix

Mita

Mignon Pâtisserie

Via Sol

Cicatriz

Washington DC

Albi

Austin

Nixta

Comadre Panadería

Merida

Ramiro Cocina

Frequently Asked Questions

The initiative aims to create community and expand access to restaurant experiences by allowing guests to pay what they are able while maintaining a normal service environment.
Yes. The kitchen remains open, the menu is offered as usual, and the team works a full service during regular service hours. The only change is the payment model.
We provide a check at the of the meal with regular prices shown for reference and context. Guests are welcome to pay according to their ability. If guests want to pay in cash we give them an envelope. If guests want to pay with card, we ask them the amount they want to pay and charge them with the card machine. Some guests have also paid in trade (artwork, home made salsas, exercise classes for the team etc) which of course are also welcome.

At the restaurant we create a flexible payment option within their point-of-sale system to record payments.
Based on Masala y Maíz’s experience over several years, the initiative has not resulted in financial loss and has often generated similar revenue to a regular day of service.
We recommend that all beverages be charged at regular price, though each restaurant may choose how to structure this.
No. “Pay What You Can” only applies to dining in the restaurant.
When a guest pays (by cash or card), they are asked how much of their payment is for tip and. how much goes to the restaurant. In our experience, the staff make the same amount or more in tips on this day as they would on a normal day.
Participating restaurants will receive a shared playbook developed by Masala y Maíz, based on years of experience running Pay What You Can services. The framework addresses: service design and pacing, guest communication, team preparation and moral, financial considerations, community engagement, press and interview talking points. Restaurants are encouraged to adapt these guidelines to their own realities and service culture. We will host online trainings and will be available to answer any questions.

We will be launching a targeted international press campaign to get coverage in your local market and international coverage for all participating restaurants.

How Service Works That Day

Service runs much like any other day. The kitchen is fully open, the team works a regular shift and receives their usual wages and tips, and guests are welcomed into the same dining experience the restaurant always offers. The only difference is the way payment works — guests are invited to enjoy their meal and contribute what they are able.

Restaurants are encouraged to operate in the way that feels most natural for their team. At Masala y Maíz, food is often sent to the table to be shared rather than assigned to individual diners, and the kitchen and service team guide the rhythm of the meal. Because of the pace of service, dishes are not modified for dietary restrictions, though staff can help guests choose suitable options.

Reservations are typically not taken in order to keep tables moving and make space for more people. When guests are sat at their table they are explained the model and intention behind it. Before service begins, the team gathers to align on the flow of the day and the spirit behind it — hospitality, community, and respect. It is always a very busy, exciting and fulfilling service.

“Eat What You Want, Pay What You Can is rooted in why we cook in the first place. open our doors fully to our community and offer the complete experience of exceptional food and hospitality without money being a barrier.”