How Some Oakland Restaurants Are Standing Behind Teachers on Strike

Picket lines are going strong all over town, as Oakland Unified School District teachers are on strike for the second day in a row. They’re demanding more pay, smaller class sizes, and an end to school closures, and local restaurants, bars, and cafes are coming out in support.

Since school district food workers are protesting in solidarity, the 80 percent of students who rely on free and discounted meals from school — as well as the families who use the schools’ food pantries — are in need during the strike. The Oakland Indie Alliance, a band of local restaurants and businesses, is teaming up with nonprofit Bread for Ed to feed students on the picket lines. Some spots like Farley’s East are delivering bagged lunches while others, like Starline Social Club, are raising funds for the effort. And many more local restaurants are offering free drinks and discounted meals to teachers who can show OUSD ID during the strike.

For some restaurateurs, it’s personal. James Syhabout (Commis, Hawker Fare) wrote to Eater SF that he feels the need to help Oakland’s public school educators because he values the city’s future as a “proud K-12 OUSD alum.”

Here’s a list of where teachers can find discounts as well as where supporters can drop by to help. Let us know if we missed anything at sf@eater.com.

• All Oakland public school educators will get a 15 percent discount at Commis, Old Kan Beer & Co., and Hawking Bird during the strike, and Syhabout will also set aside a percentage of sales to donate to Bread for Ed. Look for a future classroom supplies drive at Old Kan, too.
• Super Juiced is giving a whopping 50 percent discount to teachers.
• Teachers can visit Chinatown Vietnamese spot Tay Ho for 20 percent off meals and free coffee.
• Beloved Arab bakery Reem’s will offer free coffee and 20 percent off of food for teachers with ID.
• Donut Farm is offering 20 percent off on donuts and other vegan eats for teachers until the strike ends.
• Nido is giving teachers 20 percent off their meals, and the Mexican restaurant is also donating proceeds from a special cocktail to support teachers while on strike.
• Boot and Shoe Service will offer 25 percent off to OUSD teachers as long as the strike lasts.
• Uptown’s Hopscotch similarly is giving teachers 25 percent off all food purchases.
• Glenview Italian spot Bellanico will offer a 20 percent discount — excluding alcohol — at lunch for teachers.
• Farley’s East is serving $5 lunches to OUSD teachers during the strike.
• For the duration of the strike, Starline Social Club will donate 10 percent of Campari, Fords Gin, Del Maguey Mezcal, and Remy Martin drink sales as well as 100 percent of Brooklyn Brewery K is for Kriek sales to Bread for Ed. Plus, all OUSD teachers with ID can come in for a free drink.
• Tacos Oscar is giving out free Tecate to teachers on strike.
• FOB Kitchen will treat teachers to a free glass of wine.
• Fruitvale bar Aloha Club is hosting a fundraiser tonight from 4 to 10 p.m. with tacos and tamales from La Guerrera’s Kitchen. All proceeds will go toward a teachers’ emergency fund and Bread for Ed.
• Temescal Brewing will hand out one free pint per day for all OUSD teachers who stop by.
• Julie’s Cafe in Temescal is giving out free coffee for protesting teachers.
• Anyone with an Oakland Education Association ID can visit Firebrand Artisan Breads for 15 percent off their purchase all week.
• Commonwealth is giving OUSD staff free draft beer, cider, or kombucha with a purchase of lunch or dinner.
• Teachers can swing by The Kebabery for free shoestring fries.
• Tamarindo is offering discounted meals for teachers.
• Teachers can dine at À Côté for 25 percent off meals.
• Head over to Tupper & Reed for a fundraiser on Monday, February 25 from 6 p.m.-10 p.m., where 80 percent of drink sales and 100 percent of raffle ticket sales will go to the Bread for Ed fund.
• Croissant mecca Fournee bakery is offering a 20 percent discount to Oakland teachers throughout the strike.
• Côte West winery is offering all OUSD teachers and faculty complimentary tastings at their tasting room this weekend (open Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m.-5 p.m.), a $10 discount.
• Pizzaiolo and Western Pacific will give teachers 25 percent off of meals, plus free coffee in the mornings, until the strike is over. Pizzaiolo is sending meatball subs to Emerson Elementary school teachers on Tuesday.
• All locations of Highwire Coffee will offer free coffee to teachers for the duration of the strike.