meriden

‘Give if You Can, Take if You Need': Restaurant Creates Community Meal Board

NBC Universal, Inc.

A Meriden restaurant is paying it forward with food, giving dozens of free meals to people in need, no questions asked.

Wise Guys has a board full of meal checks, representing the meals paid for by customers, to benefit anyone in need who comes to the Main Street Italian eatery.

“It’s a no judgment zone, just come up and grab it,” says Michael Mongolello, the restaurant’s manager.

The restaurant says it’s given out hundreds of meals to people in need, all covered by the generosity of the community paying it forward.

“Maybe things are tough… all you do is out simply come in, say hey this is what’s going on, you take the take the ticket right off the board, hand it to me, we prepare the food," says Mingolello.

Wise Guys opened just before the pandemic began, but despite the tough times, they’ve always made helping the community priority. It’s something they say they’re glad to keep doing to help their neighbors.

“The way I look at it, if it wasn’t for the people keeping my business open, I wouldn’t be open. So I like to give back," says Mongolello.

You can support the effort by visiting Wise Guys at 994 Main Street in Meriden or make a donation by calling 203-440-9333.

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