"A hand up, not a hand out"

The people who run One World Café in Salt Lake City, which inspired the birth of the SAME (So All Might Eat) Café in Denver Colorado are saints. They run their restaurants using the pay as you can approach.

The idea is that people who have no money are encouraged to exchange an hour of service for a meal. Likewise, guests who can afford to are encouraged to leave a little extra to offset the meals of those who have less to give. Their philosophy:

"..... everyone, regardless of economic status, deserves the chance to eat healthy, organic food while being treated with dignity."

Not only do you get to choose what you feel you can pay - because it's buffet, style, you can get as much food as you need. Only in the mood for half a bowl of soup? Help yourself. Need just a little more pizza to tide you over? Done deal.

Of course the opportunity for those who would take advantage of the situation is there, but there are far more stories of appreciative patrons who have more than paid their share. Some folks have even donated everything from a car to new tile for the bathroom.

In a world where restaurants tend to charge small fortunes for quantities of food that are too much for the sensible gourmand, this is an idea I hope spreads across the continent.