New Burrito Shop to Open With Free Food & Fundraisers

The only thing better than a burrito might be a free burrito.

And Moe’s Southwest Grill realizes that fact of life. State College’s newest burrito joint is opening this week – bringing with it charity drives for area schools and the tempting promise of free burritos, tacos and more.

Moe’s spokesperson Stephen Donnelly promises tasty food with quality ingredients, but he says Moe’s tries to be more than just a restaurant.

“We don’t want to just open the doors and say ‘spend money here,’” Donnelly says. “We like to get involved with the community.”

And to prove it, Moe’s is coming into Trader Joe’s plaza on North Atherton Street with a bang.

The new eatery will host three fundraising parties, and will donate all of the proceeds to three State College schools. Stop by Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. to support State High, or grab some delicious grub on Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 for Mount Nittany Middle School or 6:30 to 8:30 for Park Forest Middle School.

Donnelly says events like these help generate excitement for the official opening on May 29, but they serve an even more important purpose – saying hi to a new home and showing support for the community. It’s not uncommon for these parties to raise thousands of dollars for each school, he says.

But the real fun will happen early Thursday afternoon, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. – “the big community blowout,” Donnelly calls it.

Moe’s will don some special blue and white décor in honor of its new home, and everyone who stops by during that four-hour window will get free lunch and a free shirt. But that’s just the beginning.

“The first 75 people through the door get free Moe’s for a year. We’re doing this at all our locations and people love it,” Donnelly says. “…Honestly, you don’t even want to know how much we spend on this event.”

In the past, Donnelly says people have camped out overnight and lined up outside the building to score this 52-week-long prize. And Moe’s is more than happy to reward that enthusiasm with an edible gift that keeps on giving.

But with so many fast-casual-type burrito joints already in State College, isn’t he worried about the competition?

“Not at all. We think State College is really the perfect location, and we’re looking forward to a lot of fun,” Donnelly says.

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