Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining initiative raised $269,272 this year.
The annual fundraiser features three-course prix-fixe meals for either $40 or $60 per person at participating restaurants over roughly a month. $1 of every $40 meal and $2 of every $60 meal is then collected and added to a pot.
The organization announced the number at its annual year-end luncheon at the Holton Orlando, sharing that it was a 44% increase from what was collected last year through its 132 participating restaurant partners.
The bulk of this year’s dollars will be donated to The Lifeboat Project, a Central Florida-based organization that works to fight against and raise awareness about human trafficking. An additional six organizations were each awarded $2,000 apiece through the initiative, including Mustard Seed of Central Florida, Nuevo Sendero, One Heart for Women and Children, Salvation Army Orlando, Samaritan Village, and Wake Up Mentoring.
The top four participating restaurants this year, according to Visit Orlando, included Seasons 52, The Pinery, AVA MediterrAegean, and The Nauti Lobstah.
