June 19 is a federal holiday, a celebration of freedom, and one of the most meaningful days on the American calendar. And like so many of the best days in American life, it’s best celebrated with food — specifically, with the rich, soulful, deeply rooted culinary traditions of Black America.
If you’re looking for a way to mark the day with intention, here’s where to start.
Support Black-Owned Restaurants Through Black People Eats
The most meaningful thing you can do with food today is spend it at a Black-owned restaurant.
Jeremy Joyce — founder of Black People Eats, a food blog and national directory dedicated to connecting people with Black-owned restaurants — has been organizing the Juneteenth Restaurant Celebration since its debut, growing it from a Chicago-specific event into a national movement that has generated more than $500,000 for Black-owned restaurants in a single year.
The premise is simple and beautiful: participating restaurants offer specials priced at $6.19 or $16.19 — a direct nod to the holiday’s date — across cities including Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, St. Louis, and beyond. The celebration puts often-overlooked restaurants in the spotlight for one of the most food-focused days of the year.
“We really wanted the food to be the glue that unites all people together,” Joyce has said. “It’s an opportunity to highlight a culture that didn’t have a light shone on it for so long.”
To find participating restaurants near you, visit Black People Eats at blackpeopleeats.com or follow @blackpeopleeats on Instagram, where Joyce regularly posts real-time updates, restaurant features, and food reviews with the kind of contagious enthusiasm that makes you want to get in the car immediately.
Why Food Matters on Juneteenth
Juneteenth has always had a culinary dimension.
The holiday has historically been associated with red foods — red velvet cake, strawberry soda, hibiscus tea, red beans — a tradition with roots in West African foodways and the cultural practices of enslaved people who used red as a symbol of resilience. Over generations, Juneteenth celebrations have become associated with outdoor cookouts, family gatherings, and the full expression of Black American food culture: barbecue, soul food, and the diaspora’s influence on everything from gumbo to mac and cheese to sweet potato pie.
Eating at a Black-owned restaurant today isn’t just a meal. It’s a way to participate in a tradition of community, sustenance, and celebration that runs deeper than any single menu item.
Practical: How to Find a Black-Owned Restaurant Near You
If you’re not sure where to start:
- blackpeopleeats.com — Joyce’s national directory, with listings by city
- Eat Okra — a mobile app specifically designed to help users find Black-owned restaurants nearby
- Google Maps — search “Black-owned restaurants near me” and filter by the “Black-owned” business attribute, which many owners have self-identified
If you find a great spot today, leave a review. Share it. That kind of visibility is what keeps local restaurants thriving past a single holiday.
Also Happening Today: A Few Additional Deals
For those who want to celebrate at home or gather with friends around the World Cup matches happening this week:
7-Eleven is offering $10 off a $30+ 7NOW delivery order today using promo code FAN10. A solid option if you’re hosting a watch party and want snacks delivered without leaving the couch.
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar has crispy wings for $0.99 each when ordering six, plus $4 BD’s Amber Ale and $6 Samuel Adams Summer Ale. A “gather with friends” deal that works equally well for a Juneteenth cookout or a World Cup match viewing.
And if you haven’t taken advantage yet, BOGO Week is still running through June 24 at Burger King, Popeyes, Subway, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and Wendy’s — all through their respective apps.
The Bottom Line
Happy Juneteenth. Today is a day to celebrate, gather, and eat well — ideally at a Black-owned restaurant in your community. Visit blackpeopleeats.com to find participating restaurants offering $6.19 and $16.19 specials near you, and take a moment today to support the restaurants and traditions that have shaped so much of American food culture.
