FORT MYERS, Fla. - TelAve -- Sizzle Dining, Southwest Florida's premier culinary fundraiser, is celebrating its milestone 10th year with a record 140 restaurants signed on for 2026, surpassing last year's high of 127. The event will kick off Sept. 1, marking the first time Sizzle Dining will span the entire month of September, with the goal of selling more than 100,000 Sizzle meals.

What began a decade ago as 11 days of specially priced dinners at 26 restaurants has grown into a monthlong celebration that fills dining rooms, supports restaurant workers and helps feed thousands of local children in need.

For every Sizzle Dining meal sold, participating restaurants donate $1 to benefit the Southwest Florida chapter of Blessings in a Backpack, a nonprofit that feeds food-insecure elementary school children on weekends and during the summer. In 2025, 127 restaurants across Collier and Lee counties sold a record 87,483 meals, resulting in an $87,483 donation presented to Blessings in a Backpack at a celebratory wrap party on Fifth Avenue South.

"Ten years ago, I set out to put butts in seats during the slowest month of the year. Now Sizzle Dining fills tables across Southwest Florida and puts healthy meals in front of kids who need them," said Guy Clarke, executive director of Sizzle Dining. "This year's theme is Save. Support. Celebrate. Save on a great meal, support a local restaurant and a great cause, and celebrate 10 years of doing it together. If you've been wanting to try a new place, September is the time."

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Participating restaurants set their own Sizzle Dining menu prices, giving chefs the freedom to create menus that fit their concept and costs. Every menu, however, must deliver a true 25% to 30% discount off the restaurant's regular a la carte pricing. This ensures diners receive genuine value while restaurants still fill tables during the slowest month of the year.

During the 2025-26 school year, Blessings in a Backpack's Southwest Florida chapter served 31 school programs, fed about 8,000 children every Friday and distributed 256,000 weekend food bags. It's an achievement made possible by the collective generosity of donors and community partners throughout the region, with Sizzle Dining's annual contribution proudly among them.

For more information on Sizzle Dining and to view participating restaurants, menus and restaurant contact information, visit SizzleDining.org. (https://sizzledining.org/)