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Draft:Public diners

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  • Comment: A ton of unsourced examples. Not enough citations for the Benefits section as well - this makes it sound like you're making a speech in public rather than a Wikipedia article. AlphaBetaGamma (Talk/report any mistakes here) 03:23, 2 June 2025 (UTC)

Public diners are state supported restaurants that serve meals at affordable prices to the general public. They are public infrastructure food, like public transport is infrastructure for movement, public hospitals are infrastructure for health. They are fixed parts of the social security net in various countries across the world.[1]

Definition

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Public diners have seven core principles:[2]

1. Publicly supported. Public diners operate with public funding or other forms of public support (for example, rent controls, tax breaks). This differentiates them from private restaurants and from charitable food provision.

2. Democratic. Public diners are democratic institutions. They have formal mechanisms for public scrutiny and participation.

3. Universal. Public diners are open to everyone. They are not targeted at, or exclusive to, any particular group.

4. Affordable. Public diners serve meals at low prices. They also have formal concessionary schemes to ensure everyone can eat there.

5. Real good food. Public diners are designed to set better standards around food. Their menus aim to be nutritious, tasty, responsibly sourced and culturally diverse.

6. A place you want to dine. Public diners are regular restaurants. They are places that are convenient and appealing for everyone to eat at.

7. Here for the long run. Public diners are fixed parts of neighbourhoods. They are also fixed parts of the social security net.

Public diners are a public intervention into the food environment, similar to free school meal programs. They are designed to guarantee what the private sector sometimes struggles to: high quality meals at low prices.

Benefits

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As well as being a way for the government to protect the right to food in their society, public diners have been introduced to help improve various aspects of citizen life: public health, climate and community resilience.

Right to food

Typically, the main reason governments have introduced public diners is to help guarantee the right to food. Under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), everyone has the right to food. The UN Committee on ICESCR clarified that this means food must always be 1) Accessible: people must be able to afford or physically reach food; 2) Available: people must be able to access food from natural resources and markets over time; 3) Adequate: food must satisfy dietary and cultural preferences.[3]

The right to food is the right to be able to choose, afford and enjoy food. As the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) advises, this means the duty on the State is not to hand out food but to provide an “enabling environment in which people can use their full potential to produce or procure adequate food for themselves and their families.”[4]

Public diners are a way for the State to discharge its responsibility to protect the right to food. They offer the State a mechanism for guaranteeing that people are always able to choose and afford good food.

Public health

Public diners represent a preventative approach to public health.[5] Poor diets are the biggest contributor to preventable ill health across the globe.[6] This contributes to shorter healthy life expectancies but also bigger public health bills[7].

By making it easier and more affordable to eat a nutritious meal, public diners are designed to help reduce dietary inequalities and improve overall population health. For many governments, this public health benefit is the main reason for introducing public diners.

Sustainable diets

Public diners are also used as a mechanism for reducing the climate impact of diets. Currently, the global food system is responsible for approximately 25-30% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.[8]

Public diners offer the opportunity to make food more climate friendly at every stage: for example, offering new routes to market for local, agroecological produce, designing menus with less and better meat and controlling waste.

Stronger neighbourhoods

Public diners also offer new physical places for people to find meaningful work and to come together with others. They can be a way for government to improve the opportunities and standards of jobs in the food sector.

Public diners are also a mechanism for building social capital. In many places they have been introduced to regenerate a particular town or city and improve community belonging and resilience.

Current examples

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Europe

  • Poland: Milk Bars (bary mleczne)

Bary mleczne are restaurants serving affordable, homestyle meals to the general public – they keep prices low thanks to government subsidies for particular ingredients[9]. There are currently over 100[10] of these restaurants across the country.

Asia

  • Turkey: Public Restaurants (halk lokantasi)

Various municipal (local) governments subsidise and help run their own brand of public restaurants serving low cost, nutritious meals to the general public. The following provinces all have their own brand of halk lokantasi:

Hawker Centres are government built and regulated food courts where multiple vendors serve affordable, local dishes – government caps rent and pays for the maintenance of central amenities (tables, chairs, water, ventilation) to ensure hawker centres can keep prices low[21]. The government agency in charge of the centres, National Environment Agency (NEA), currently manages 119 hawker centres across the country[22].

  • India: Public Canteens

Various state (provincial) governments subsidise and help run their own brand of public canteen, serving affordable, nutritious meals to the general public. At least 13 states have implemented some form of public canteen:

Americas

  • Mexico: Community Dining Halls (Comedores Comunitarios)

Comedores Comunitarios are government-supported, locally run community kitchens in Mexico that provide free or low-cost meals to the general public[30]. The federal government provides funding to local (municipal) governments who either run the kitchens themselves or outsource the running to private/community operators. There are over 5,000[31] across the country. States include:

  • Ciudad de México (Mexico City)[32]
  • Sinaloa[33]
  • Zacatecas[34]
  • Querétaro[35]
  • Oaxaca[36]
  • Brazil: Restaurantes Populares

Restaurantes Populares are restaurants run at by various local (municipal) governments, often with some financial support from state or federal governments. They serve nutritious, low cost meals to the general public[37]. As of 2022, there are approximately 248[38] restaurantes across the country. They operate in the following states:

  • Peru: Comedores Populares

Comedores Populares are restaurants that are managed by various local (municipal) governments with some subsidies from the national government through various ministries. They are often delivered by partnerships with civil society organisations (CSOs) especially women’s associations. There are over 14,000[44] Comedores Populares operating across Peru. As of 2023, 230 local governments (195 provincial municipalities and 35 district municipalities[45]) have set up Comedores Populares:

  • Ate (Lima)[46]
  • Pucusana (Lima)[47]
  • El Dorado (San Martín)
  • Trujillo (La Libertad)[48]
  • Puno (Puno)[49]
  • San Juan de Bigote, Bellavista de La Unión (Piura)[47]
  • Chongoyape, Santa Rosa, Tumán (Lambayeque)[47]
  • Salpo (La Libertad)[47]
  • Lomas, Yauca (Arequipa)[47]
  • San Pedro de Palco (Ayacucho)[47]
  • Campanilla, Santa Lucía (San Martín)[47]
  • Pacasmayo (La Libertad)[47]
  • Mariscal Ramón Castilla (Loreto)[47]


Historical example (UK)

[edit]

And they have to wait for a war to start places like these. Why can’t they think of it in peacetime?[50] - Mass Observation Archive

From 1940 right through to the late 60s, the UK government subsidised a chain of restaurants, first known as ‘British Restaurants’ during the Second World War and then enshrined in law as ‘Civic Restaurants’ after the war. By 1944, there were more than 2,000 across the UK serving approximately 600,000 meals daily.[51]

How did they work?

A national subsidy system. The national government, via the Ministry of Food, delivered start up support and then regular subsidies to local governments[52].

Local delivery. Local governments were responsible for the local delivery of the restaurants. For example, some restaurants were simply called ‘British Restaurant,’ others chose different names to reflect their place – things like ‘The Ravenscraig’ and ‘The Castle[53].’

Institutional standards. The use of public money meant there were agreed institutional standards all restaurants had to meet[54]. For example:

  • Meals served had to be of a certain nutritional quality
  • Prices of meals were capped at an affordable rate
  • Workers were paid the nationally agreed union rate

As the war was ending, there was mass opposition to these restaurants ending with it.

The restaurants had regular patrons and well-paid workers[55]. In many neighbourhoods, they had become a fixed part of the social fabric[56] – so much so that taking them away inspired a number of protests[57]. Speaking with a patron of the British Restaurant in Wishaw, a reporter describes the plea for these restaurants to outlive the war:

A place such as that was, he thought, more than an immediate war necessity. He believed that when they saw these restaurants springing up throughout the country they could see the beginning of what might be a branch of their future social organisation.[58]

  1. ^ Livingston, Eve. "Calls for return of Churchill's national restaurant service to tackle food inequality".
  2. ^ Nourish Scotland. "Public Diners: The Idea Whose Time Has Come" (PDF).
  3. ^ Office of the High Commissioner: United Nations Human Rights. "Key aspects of the right to food".
  4. ^ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). "Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security".
  5. ^ Davies, Sarah. "The Minister's menu: could the government subsidise healthy food through public restaurants?". NESTA.
  6. ^ Afshin, Ashkan (2019). "Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017". The Lancet. 393 (10184): 1958–1972. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30041-8. PMC 6899507. PMID 30954305.
  7. ^ Candari, Christine Joy; Cylus, Jonathan; Nolte, Ellen (2017). Assessing the economic costs of unhealthy diets and low physical activity: An evidence review and proposed framework. European Observatory Health Policy Series. Copenhagen (Denmark): European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. ISBN 978-92-890-5042-5. PMID 28787114.
  8. ^ FAO. "Food systems account for more than one third of global greenhouse gas emissions".
  9. ^ "The Polish restaurants that dare to be dairy". The Economist. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  10. ^ Rutherford, Tristan (August 1, 2016). "Poland's milk bar kids help sustain a culinary institution". The Guardian.
  11. ^ "Manisa'da Bir İlk; Kent Lokantası ve Halk Mandıra Açıldı". Manisa Büyükşehir Belediyesi (in Turkish). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  12. ^ "Diyarbakır'ın ikinci kent lokantası açılıyor: İşte adresi". Amida Haber (in Turkish). 2024-11-02. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  13. ^ "Ordu'nun ilk Kent Lokantası ALTINORDU BELEDİYESİ KENT LOKANTASI AÇILDI Altınordu Belediyesi, vatandaşların sağlıklı ve lezzetli yemeğe uygun fiyatla ulaşması için Ordu'nun ilk Kent Lokantasını hizmete açtı". Altınordu Belediyesi (in Turkish). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  14. ^ "AFYONKARAHİSAR'A KENT LOKANTASI GELİYOR". Afyon Türkeli Gazetesi (in Turkish). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  15. ^ Belediyesi, Tekirdağ Büyükşehir. "TEKİRDAĞ'IN İLK KENT LOKANTASI AÇILDI - T.C. Tekirdağ Büyükşehir Belediyesi". www.tekirdag.bel.tr (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  16. ^ Aykiri (10 June 2024). "Bursa'da ilk Kent Lokantası'nı Osmangazi Belediye'si açtı". Aykiri (in Turkish).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ Merkezi, Haber (2024-12-16). "ÇERKEZKÖY KENT LOKANTASI AÇILDI". Tekirdağ Yeni Haber Gazetesi (in Turkish). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  18. ^ "İzmir'de Kent Lokantası büyüyor!". www.gercekizmir.com. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  19. ^ "Karacabey'in 'Kent Lokantası' için geri sayım başlıyor". NNCHaber.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  20. ^ Merkezi, Haber. "Halk Lokantası Halkın Hizmetinde". Eskişehir Haber Ajansı (EHA) (in Turkish). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  21. ^ Lily, King; Wong, Aidan Marc (2023). "Hawker culture and its infrastructure: Experiences and contestations in everyday life". The cultural infrastructure of cities: 149–160 – via Singapore Management University.
  22. ^ Nation Environment Agency. "Managing Hawker Centres and Markets in Singapore". Nation Environment Agency. Nation Environment Agency.
  23. ^ "Maharashtra's Shiv Bhojan Thali: What is the scheme, why is it under scanner after change of govt?". The Indian Express. 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  24. ^ "Haryana Atal Kisan Mazdoor Canteen Yojana 2025 - Food @ Rs. 10". 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  25. ^ Junction, Economy (2025-03-25). "Delhi Budget 2025: What Are Atal Canteens Announced By CENTIMETERS Rekha Gupta? Who Will Benefit?|India News". Economy Junction. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  26. ^ "Subsidised Food Canteens Create Democratic Spaces In Deeply Divided Societies: Reetika Khera – Janata Weekly". Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  27. ^ Bhaskar, Arpita Sarkar,Anjor (2019-09-26). "Jharkhand's community kitchens: Making a mockery of food security?". Down To Earth. Retrieved 2025-06-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ "UP govt to launch 'Didi Cafe'; women's self-help groups to sell low-cost food under initiative". India Today. 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  29. ^ Santoshi, Neeraj (7 April 2017). "MP govt starts ambitious Rs 5 thali under 'Deendayal Rasoi Yojana'". Hindustan Times.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ^ "El gobierno capitalino seguirá impulsando comedores comunitarios - Pymempresario". www.pymempresario.com (in Spanish). 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  31. ^ Gobierno de México. "Learn how Sedesol's Community Dining Halls work". Gobierno de México.
  32. ^ La-Lista, Redacción (2024-06-29). "¿Dónde están? La-Lista de ubicaciones de los comedores comunitarios en CDMX". La Lista (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  33. ^ Bienestar, Secretaría de. "Sedesol inaugura 32 Comedores Comunitarios más en el estado de Sinaloa". gob.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  34. ^ usertest_www_rediseno (2025-03-26). "Entrega Gobierno de Zacatecas equipamiento para comedor comunitario en Jardín de Niños de Tepechitlán". Gobierno del Estado de Zacatecas (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  35. ^ "SEDESOL ya cuenta con 9 comedores comunitarios en el estado de Querétaro" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  36. ^ "Se amplían beneficios alimentarios con la instalación de 54 Comedores Comunitarios de Sedesol en el estado". Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  37. ^ de Figueiredo Melo Villas Boas, Gabriella; Assunção Botelho, Raquel Braz; de Cassia Coelho de Almeida Akutsu, Rita; Zandonadi, Renata Puppin (1 April 2021). "Access to regional food in Brazilian community restaurants to strengthen the sustainability of local food systems". International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science. 23: 100296. doi:10.1016/j.ijgfs.2020.100296.
  38. ^ Murça, Giovana (2024-10-01). "Restaurante popular: garantia de uma alimentação digna". Pacto Contra a Fome (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  39. ^ Redação (2022-01-26). "Maranhão: Restaurantes Populares servem 60 mil refeições por dia". Diário 98 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  40. ^ "Restaurantes Populares". Prefeitura de Belo Horizonte (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2017-10-11. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  41. ^ "Restaurantes populares servem 17,6 mil refeições por mês em 2022 | Prefeitura de Porto Alegre". prefeitura.poa.br. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  42. ^ Prefeitura de Curitiba (4 May 2023). "Restaurantes Populares de Curitiba oferecem comida boa e saudável por R$ 3". Prefeitura de Curitiba.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  43. ^ "Restaurantes Populares – Ação Social do Paraná" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  44. ^ Rachelle Renkert, Sarah (March 2, 2024). "Cooking up controversies: critiques of food aid recipients and Peru's Comedores Populares". Food, Culture & Society. doi:10.1080/15528014.2025.2498199.
  45. ^ "Midis: El 73% de los comedores populares del ámbito del programa de complementación alimentaria se ha reactivado en todo el país". Business Empresarial (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  46. ^ Municipalidad Distrital De Ate. "Relacion de comendores populares" (PDF). Municipalidad Distrital De Ate. Retrieved 26 June 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  47. ^ a b c d e f g h i PERÚ, Empresa Peruana de Servicios Editoriales S. A. EDITORA (2022-08-23). "Más municipios aplican guía para mejorar comedores populares y ollas comunes". andina.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-06-26.
  48. ^ "La Libertad: Midis incrementa presupuesto y destina S / 11 millones para atender comedores populares". TVPerú (in Spanish). 2023-02-13. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  49. ^ "53 COMEDORES POPULARES PARTICIPARON EN CONCURSO DE PLATOS TÍPICOS | Municipalidad Provincial de Puno". portal.munipuno.gob.pe. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
  50. ^ Mass Observation Archive. unsorted food catalogue. 1944.
  51. ^ Evans, Bryce (2022). Community Restaurants: A cost of living intervention. Food Foundation: Policy Briefing.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  52. ^ Roberts, Marion (1984). "Private kitchens, public cooking". Making space: Women and the manmade environment. Pluto Press. pp. 106–19.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  53. ^ "Aberdeen Evening Express". British Newspaper Archive. 26 April 1941.
  54. ^ J Atkins, Peter (2011). "Communal Feeding in War Time: British Restaurants, 1940–1947". In Drouard, Alain; Duffett, Rachel; Zweiniger-Bargielowska, Ina (eds.). Food and war in twentieth century Europe. London New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-315-58264-1.
  55. ^ Evans, Bryce (2022). Feeding the people in wartime Britain. Bloomsbury Academic (published 7 April 2022). ISBN 978-1-350-25972-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  56. ^ Durbach, Nadja (2017). British Restaurants and the Gender Politics of the Wartime Midday Meal. Boydell & Brewer. pp. 19–36.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  57. ^ "Edinburgh Evening News". British Newspaper Archive. 1 October 1945.
  58. ^ "Wishaw Press". British Newspaper Archive. 18 September 1942.
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