From the beginning, Anthony’s founder Budd Gould understood how significant his restaurants were to the communities that they call home, not only as somewhere to eat a satisfying meal, but also as a place to gather, to rub elbows with your neighbors and say hi to familiar faces. He also recognized that importance flows the other way, too — without the dedicated patronage of customers, it would’ve been impossible to keep the ship afloat during the toughest times.
That sentiment extends to staff members too. When Covid hit, Herb Gould — Budd Gould’s son, and the CEO at the time — and Amy Burns, Budd’s daughter and current Anthony’s Restaurants’ president and CEO, partnered to navigate the uncertainties surrounding the pandemic. Burns said shutting up shop was one of the hardest things to do. When the company was finally able to start serving out of a food truck in Kirkland, the general manager had the idea to give all the tips to furloughed team members.
“Our community just started throwing money at this because they wanted their favorite servers to survive through the pandemic,” Burns said. “We have over 200 team members that have been with us for 20-plus years, so there's this loyalty that has developed. It was this amazing full circle moment where we ended up using all those tips to buy them grocery cards. We take care of our team, and that's what came first.”
Many of Anthony's Restaurants’ philanthropic efforts are organic, arising from personal relationships, versus going through the motions to check off a charity contribution. As a result, the various elements of its annual Give Back campaign culminate in fundraising opportunities unique to each city.
“Our general managers are encouraged to stay involved with their community,” she said. “Whether that's through Rotary or through Chamber or through Boys & Girls Club or whatever their connection in the community is, we really support that. So it's more of a grassroots effort.”
One of the larger events is the Fishermen’s Fall Festival, held at Chinook's At Salmon Bay in Seattle on Saturday, Sept. 13. It benefits the families of commercial fishers who are lost at sea — a natural connection for Anthony’s being in the seafood business. Last year, $35,000 was raised.
“They do a relay where they put on the gear and swim out to a point and come back,” Burns said. “Then they do face painting, wooden boat building. There’s a barbecue, a bouncy house, all these fun things for the neighborhood to come in and participate and have fun.”
Amy Burns (third from left) sits with her family at Portside with Providence 2025. Photo courtesy of Providence.
Other events help medical partners. Portside with Providence, held every April at Anthony’s HomePort Everett, raised $200,000 for local emergency and trauma services earlier this year. And on Saturday, Oct. 4, Anthony’s will host an oyster bar at Beer & Bites — a benefit for Supports South Sound CARE Foundation and people fighting cancer in the region — at Narrows Marina (next to Boathouse 19 in Tacoma).
Anthony’s Restaurants also knows the value of education and provides financial aid for students at schools across the Pacific Northwest. Anthony’s at Spokane Falls hosts an annual dinner to benefit an endowed scholarship for Gonzaga University. At the Feast at the Old Mill in Bend, Anthony’s puts on a dinner in support of Central Oregon Community College’s Cascade Culinary School foundation. As an added bonus, students from the college help make the meal and serve as waitstaff, giving them hands-on, real-world experience.
In addition to hosting events at its restaurants, Anthony’s has a robust donation program where it frequently gives dinners-for-two to be auctioned off at galas or golf tournaments.
“It's part of our culture that I very much love,” Burns said. “My dad started this at the very beginning, even though he didn't have money. So for me, it's very worthwhile and it’s at the heart of running a family business.”