Richmond Food Tour Group Creates To-Go Boxes Filled With Local Food Products
River City Food Tours is the #1 walking food tour company in Virginia. They proudly offer food tours in some of Richmond's most unique and interesting neighborhoods, including Carytown, Church Hill, and the Arts District. They will soon offer a new neighborhood: Scott's Addition!
When COVID-19 all but shut down Virginia (and the country), River City Food Tours ceased to operate immediately. Restaurants closed their doors and people were banned from gathering in groups, two key factors in being able to provide food tours. They had to very quickly shift their business model to offer something people would feel excited about and could safely participate in which led them to some innovative ideas.
Because Richmond's amazing restaurants are shut down except for take out and delivery, River City Food Tours hasn't been able to offer walking food tours; so they decided to take two critical elements of their food tours (delicious food and exciting history/stories) and turn them into products that folks could get excited about and take part in safely.
One such product is the Discover Richmond Box. Every week, they curate a new box filled with delicious, local food products from Richmond makers, and deliver it straight to their customers' doors on Sundays. Each week is a new combination of goods, with fun themes like brunch, Carytown, and pizza. One of their favorite elements of the Discover Richmond Box is that each box supports between eight and nine local businesses. Plus, River City Food Tours gets to partner with some amazing food and product makers!
The other offering River City Food Tours is excited about is a socially-distant, self-guided, and interactive Scavenger Hunt of either Church Hill or the Museum District. When you purchase a ticket, you'll be prompted to download an app in which you enter your custom game code. You'll then see a map of the neighborhood with all points of interest – just head over to one to unlock the question! This is a great way to get outside for some fresh air while still observing social distancing norms.
There are four primary ways to support River City Food Tours during this time:
1. Buying gift certificates for a future tour allows them to pay their current operating expenses while at the same time guaranteeing a fun event when things return to normal.
2. You can also purchase a Discover Richmond Box, which changes week to week. Each Discover Richmond Box supports anywhere from 8-9 local businesses in and around Richmond.
3. Purchasing a ticket for one of their socially-distant and interactive scavenger hunts will support River City Food Tours and also enable you to safely get outside and explore one of your favorite neighborhoods (or find a new one!).
4. Finally, telling your friends and family about their offerings is a huge help. Word of mouth is one of the most common ways people find out about River City Food Tours. Please feel free to share your photos and experiences with them on social media, too.
For more information about River City Food Tours, visit their website at www.rivercityfoodtours.com.