Good people doing good things in a mediocre world

There’s a restaurant in vienna, called “The Deewan”. They offer a curry buffet and a basic selection of beverages. But there’s something very special to that place: Pricing. The concept is very brave. Drinks do have their fixed prices in the lower fields. Food: All you can eat. Pay what you want.

It’s the real deal. You get a buffet with loads of rice and five differenct curries. You can eat as much as you want, fill up that plate as many times as you can. And then, you pay what you think might be appropriate. Now, needless to say, this is not a fancy stylish restaurant. Furniture is very rudimentary and functional. The food isn’t exceptionally good, but your regular indian lunch buffet won’t be much better, either.

It’s a great concept and since the place is in business for about three or four years now, it seems to work out pretty well. It’s those small braveries that let rise hope for a better world: People do pay for their food, even if they don’t have to. It’s such an unusual thing that it’s hard to imagine it could work, but as a matter of fact, it does.

After all, it seems there’s still enough good in people these days. It only takes a little courage to give them a chance to let it out. More Deewan-like projects, please. And whoever reads this, go pay the Deewan a visit.

www.deewan.at

And, while you’re at the “doing something good”-thing already, drop by the Weltcafe, which serves fair trade goods only and is just a couple streets away.