Somedays Café Offers Sliding Scale Meals in Birmingham
The nonprofit popup initiative provides community food access by allowing customers to pay what they can or volunteer.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Dining Out
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Launched in spring 2026, the nonprofit Somedays Café provides Birmingham residents with high-quality food access through a flexible payment model. Customers receive meals by choosing to pay on a sliding scale, starting at a minimum of $2-3, or by volunteering their time.
Why it matters
The initiative aims to address significant food scarcity in the city, where approximately 150,000 residents currently live in food deserts. By removing traditional financial barriers, the café ensures that high-quality nourishment is available regardless of a person's individual economic circumstances.
The sliding scale model permits customers to pay as little as $2-3 for a meal or trade volunteer hours for service. Approximately 150,000 Birmingham residents live in areas currently classified as food deserts.
The players
Jessica King
She is the founder who launched the nonprofit Somedays Café to improve local food security.
Somedays Café
This nonprofit popup restaurant operates in Birmingham and provides meals based on a pay-what-you-can or volunteer model.
The details
Founded by Jessica King, the popup café features a rotating menu designed by guest chefs on a monthly basis. The organization is actively fundraising to transition this operation into a permanent space that will serve both breakfast and lunch to the community.
Timeline
Somedays Café debuted as a popup in spring 2026.
A popup event is scheduled for November 14, 2026, at Rojo.
The organization intends to hold additional popup events before the end of 2026.
Culture Shift
This project follows a pattern set by the USDA definition of food deserts regarding urban resource distribution. It marks a departure from traditional restaurant models by prioritizing social impact over profit margins to combat systemic food scarcity.
Residents can access affordable meals by volunteering their time or paying a minimum of $2-3 at popups like the upcoming event at Rojo. This model allows community members to secure food without the financial strain typically associated with dining out.
The takeaway
Somedays Café demonstrates how community-led food models can provide immediate relief in areas where fresh, affordable meals are scarce. Residents interested in supporting the mission can participate in upcoming popups or volunteer to sustain the organization's growth.
What happens next
The organization has a scheduled popup event taking place on November 14, 2026, at the Rojo restaurant location.
Further reading
For more on the local culinary landscape, visit the Birmingham Dining Out section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Al.
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