Local Cafe Gives Back to Community with Pay-What-You-Can Dining

Megan Gizinski | Writer

Volunteers Karen, Betsy, Sally and Carol pose for a photo in front of the menu accompanied by chef Carol Sule and Executive Director Dawn Fenner.

In a world of uncertainty, one local cafe is making sure every patron who walks through the door has a pleasant experience and leaves full.

Tucked away near bus stops and senior living centers, Essentials Cafe in Bethlehem has been providing people near and far with a nutritious meal and a sense of community since Dec. 1, 2023.

“Folks come up and order from our menu. We give a suggested price based on whatever they ordered and the going rate around town, then we flip the screen here and folks can punch in whatever they choose to donate," said Dawn Fenner, Executive Director of the cafe. "So, there’s no fixed pricing. It’s just whatever you feel like you want to donate, including $0."

Patrons who want to donate can also purchase a Wooden Nickel for $12 and place it in a jar as a means to pay for someone else’s future meal. Those who do not want to be prompted to give money for their food can take a nickel from the jar and use it to pay, no questions asked.

Fenner, with the help of the Moravian churches, started the process of opening the 501(c)(3) nonprofit business in 2021, enlisting the help of volunteers to greet, serve food, work in the garden to grow fresh vegetables, wash dishes, help with food prep, and more. She states the only paid positions are herself and the cafe’s two chefs, Carol Sule and Chet Schneider.

The cafe serves breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday with the option for dine-in or takeout. Baked goods made by volunteers of West Side Moravian Church fill the display at the ordering counter. The specials and soups change every week, but patrons can rely on their signature sandwiches such as tuna salad and BLTs always being served.

Taking up a large area of the quaint cafe is the community table. 

“So besides just feeding folks, we’re trying to build a community that everybody wants to feel a part of no matter what walk of life you’re from,” said Fenner.

Finishing up breakfast at the community table were locals Amanda White and Braydon Strohl. They have been frequenting the cafe for about three months due to homelessness and appreciate the quality of the meals served. White, who is pregnant, stated that she gets more nutrients for herself and the baby at Essentials Cafe than any other local establishment providing meals.

Besides being nutritious, White and Strohl appreciate the overall environment the community has created.

“I like it. It's a nice atmosphere. It's peaceful. The staff is very nice. The food is amazing. We've been trying to find places like this,” said Strohl.

Fenner invites anyone to stop in, stating, “Come out and see the good in the world.”

To get involved with volunteering at Essentials Cafe, visit essentialscafe.org.