Mexico: Comedores Comunitarios
Community dining halls
There are almost 500 community and public kitchens, with an annual budget of 450 million pesos.
This is one of the most important mechanisms to exercise the right to food in Mexico City – and we have recognised that by raising them to constitutional rank.
Head of Mexico City Government, Martí Batres
Comedores Comunitarios are government-supported, locally run community kitchens in Mexico that provide free or low-cost meals to the general public. There are over 5,000 across the country in over 15 states.
How do they work?
The Comedores Comunitarios have been formalised in law – recognised as fundamental to achieving the right to food in Mexico’s constitution. This constitutional guarantee obligates the government to implement programs that ensure food security, including initiatives like Comedores Comunitarios.
Comedores Comunitarios are government supported restaurants that the federal government provides subsides, infrastructure and cooking equipment to. The federal government provides funding through their budget allocated to social welfare programmes. The restaurants are either run by the federal government or outsourced to private/community operators.