Victory: Ruth's Chris Steak House

When news broke that Ruth’s Chris Steak House received a $20 million government loan intended for small businesses, outrage spread across the country.  Then, less than 14 days later, the government loan program ran out of money.  Countless mom-and-pop small businesses were left without a dime of it. Collectively, Americans wondered: How could Ruth’s Chris Steak House – a massive publicly traded corporation worth almost $500 million – qualify as a “small business?” But why just wonder when you can do something about it? Texas resident J. Howard launched a petition on Change.org and it spread across the country. Mr. Howard wasn’t afraid to express his disappointment in the steak house, stating:

More than 250,000 people like you shared his frustration and signed on to his petition. Within days, the petition grabbed headlines in Fox News and Eater, and continued to grow. People who signed the petition shared it with friends and chipped in to help it reach new supporters. Together, ordinary Americans were making sure Ruth’s Chris paid attention.

Petition signers knew it was possible the corporation would return the loan because Shake Shack had returned a similar $10 million loan they received just days before. The pressure on Ruth’s Chris Steak House CEO Craig Miller was mounting. On Thursday, small business supporters like you made this monumental victory possible. Ruth’s Chris agreed to give back the $20 million loan. Mr. Howard’s petition won, thanks to signatures from people like you. NBC News broke the story, and they mentioned all the support on this petition in their coverage.

Now, thousands of people are turning attention to the other corporations that used the loopholes to qualify for small business loans. Companies like Potbelly Sandwich Shop. Despite more than 470 locations in the U.S. and a CEO who makes a $1.6 million annual salary, Potbelly got a $10 million loan as part of the Paycheck Protection Program. Carl, another petition starter from Texas, believes Americans can convince Potbelly to give the money back too. His petition already has 30,000 signatures, and it continues to grow.

While sheltering in place, Americans like you are finding ways to make the best of a bad situation. You’re standing up for small businesses and the welfare of your community. Petitions you sign are mobilizing your neighbors and, together, you’re winning.  What do you want to change? Start a petition of your own here.

Change.org is a Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to empowering everyone to create the kind of change they want to see. Contributions from people like you help keep our platform free, open and independent.