Giving Back Over Biscuits & Gravy at Ruby Slipper

Ruby Slipper and Ruby Sunshine are beloved breakfast, brunch, and lunch spots located in the South, with a rich history deeply rooted in community support and resilience. Born from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Ruby Slipper has grown from a single neighborhood cafe into two sister brands with 26 locations that span across six states, all while maintaining its commitment to giving back. 

Over the past few months, Ruby Slipper and Ruby Sunshine leveraged Toast Fundraising to make an even deeper impact, raising nearly $10,000 for No Kid Hungry. The amount was matched by Toast.org during a campaign this summer as part of Toast’s $5 million philanthropic pledge to fight hunger. The match is part of a larger Toast partnership with No Kid Hungry, which also included a philanthropic donation from Toast.org, fundraising by Toast employees, a referral campaign, and more. 

We spoke to Ruby Slipper and Ruby Sunshine’s founder Jennifer Weishaupt to learn more about their story, and lessons she shares with other restaurateurs about creating a successful business that can support the community.

Jennifer Weishaupt isn’t your typical restaurant operator. With a master’s degree in chemical engineering, she spent much of her early career at oil and gas companies and had no prior restaurant experience beyond a teenage job at a fast food joint. But then, following the devastation in her hometown of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, she was inspired to try something different.

"Our founding story is closely tied to Katrina," Weishaupt said. "We got really involved with neighborhood organizations, trying to help and encourage neighbors to come back. We realized how critical small businesses are to a community." 

What started as an idea for a “daytime gathering place” in a dilapidated corner store quickly grew due to overwhelming demand. Ruby Slipper expanded across the Greater New Orleans area and beyond, later introducing its sister brand, Ruby Sunshine. Seventeen years and over 26 restaurants later, Ruby Slipper and Ruby Sunshine's mission remains centered on community. 

"Because of our founding story after Katrina and our original goal of wanting to rebuild neighborhoods, the relationship between us as community members and other business owners has been one of the most important things," Weishaupt said. 

Teaming Up for a Cause

Beyond providing a welcoming place to gather for brunch, Ruby Slipper and Ruby Sunshine also demonstrate their commitment to community by supporting philanthropic causes, choosing different themes each month, and encouraging guests to participate. The restaurants use Toast Fundraising as a helpful tool that makes it easy for diners to contribute to a cause as they close out their check.

Ruby Slipper and Ruby Sunshine’s giveback campaigns often center around kids, families and the local needs of the communities they operate in, and, after hearing about Toast’s initiative to match guest donations to No Kid Hungry this summer, joining the cause felt like a natural fit—leading to one of their most successful donation campaigns yet.

Beyond tech, the success of their giveback campaign is also fueled by enthusiastic team involvement. "The team got really excited," Weishaupt said, detailing how they motivated staff with contests for whichever location raised the most money. 

Weishaupt also shared how their charitable efforts can impact their business success. “In this economy, people are cautious with how they spend their money. A lot of people care about spending their money with businesses that also do good in the community,” she said.

Big for Brunch, Big for Impact

Fighting food insecurity is a cause near and dear to the restaurant community, an industry built to feed and nourish people. With Toast’s extensive network of customers, Toast is uniquely positioned to contribute to this fight. 

Weishaupt echoes this belief, highlighting the vital role restaurants can play in addressing issues like food insecurity, especially concerning childhood hunger. "We work really closely with schools, so we have intimate knowledge of the struggles that schools face to ensure that kids are fed," she shared, acknowledging that weekends can be particularly challenging for at-risk children. "Restaurants just make sense, our whole life is around food. I think it resonates with people enjoying a nice meal around a table. It's amazing how organizations can stretch that money."

For other restaurateurs looking to make an impact, Weishaupt advises understanding their guests and community to determine what resonates most. She stresses the importance of team buy-in: "Your staff has to get behind it. The donations will be more significant if people hear about it coming into the meal. If your staff believes in it, then they’ll be motivated to help communicate to their guests."

Ruby Slipper and Ruby Sunshine’s use of Toast Fundraising exemplifies how restaurants can operationalize their philanthropic goals across multiple locations, making a tangible difference in the communities they serve. Its contribution to No Kid Hungry this summer—nearly $20,000 with Toast’s match—speaks to the powerful impact of restaurants, tech, and a great team to make a difference.

To learn more about Ruby Slipper and Ruby Sunshine, visit their website.