NFA Burger at Avalon offers 1 table a night that benefits Giving Kitchen
At the Avalon outpost of chef-owner Billy Kramer’s NFA Burger, the menu sticks to some of the classics that landed his cult-favorite creation, first sold through pop-ups then from a Dunwoody gas station counter, on countless local and national “best burger” lists.
But unlike its counter-service sibling, the newest location in Alpharetta has indoor seating — including a single, reservation-only table that funnels money directly to Kramer’s favorite nonprofit, Giving Kitchen.
Since launching his first NFA Burger pop-up in early 2018, Kramer has raised $135,000 for the Atlanta-based organization, which provides emergency assistance nationwide to food service workers in crisis.
“I know that when I raise money for Giving Kitchen, it goes directly into the hands of someone who needs it,” Kramer said of his longtime support of the nonprofit. Over the years, he’s contributed personal donations, proceeds from dedicated menu items and organized large-scale fundraising events.
The idea for a dedicated Giving Kitchen table at Avalon came to Kramer after he attended Atlanta’s Michelin awards ceremony last fall. Construction at his Dunwoody location had forced him to pause his annual Burger Benefit, and he was looking for a new way to continue his fundraising momentum.
“I know we’re never going to be a Michelin-starred restaurant, but I wanted to add something to make dining with us a special experience and help raise money for the Giving Kitchen at the same time,” Kramer said.
He partnered with reservation platform Tock to offer one bookable table per day, available Monday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at noon. The $100 reservation fee goes entirely to Giving Kitchen and includes full service at a table for up to four. Guests can order directly from the restaurant’s menu of signature smashburgers, sides and exclusive-to-Avalon beverages like milkshakes and cocktails. Food, drink and gratuity are separate from the one-time booking fee.
Kramer’s philanthropic spirit is something he inherited from his parents. His mother was an avid community volunteer, and his father always set aside part of his earnings for worthy causes.
“He had this stack of envelopes piled a foot high, and every Sunday, he would pick two charities and write a check and send it off in the mail,” Kramer recalled.
His father was also heavily involved in the Two Ten Footwear Foundation, a nonprofit organization for shoe industry workers.
“Their slogan was, ‘Shoe people helping shoe people,’ and Giving Kitchen is the same, but for the restaurant industry,” said Kramer, who discovered the organization through one of his earliest employees, Whitney Russell, a regular volunteer.
“The more I learned about the Giving Kitchen, the more I realized this is what my family has been doing our whole lives, supporting organizations like this,” he continued.
Today, Kramer frequently donates his own money to Giving Kitchen and has built direct support to the nonprofit into NFA’s business model. At Avalon, he offers a “scattered, smothered and covered” Giving Kitchen burger, with a portion of each sale going to the cause. The restaurant also sells Giving Kitchen-branded bottled water, donating 50 cents from every purchase. Since opening in May, these Avalon location initiatives have raised $7,000 for the nonprofit.
In 2023 and 2024, Kramer hosted the Burger Benefit, a fundraising event featuring guest chefs from around the country cooking their versions of the classic cheeseburger. More than 1,000 people turned out for each event, which raised a combined $108,000 for the charity.
“My goal is to push more than $10,000 a year to Giving Kitchen from sales of food and events, and hopefully, this reservation table program with Tock can add to our ongoing support,” he said.
Giving Kitchen founder Jen Hidinger-Kendrick said Kramer is one of the organization’s most dedicated fundraisers.
“Opening up a dedicated table at Avalon is a testament to his commitment to both spreading awareness and raising vital funds for our organization,” she explained.
The added donations from the newly launched Giving Kitchen table come at a critical time for the organization. The final quarter of the year always brings a surge in assistance requests, but even more so this year, as more than 40% of the organization’s clients are eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. With the recent government shutdown and uncertainty around ongoing SNAP payments, she says support from donors like Kramer can help bridge critical funding gaps.
Since its inception in 2013, Giving Kitchen has supported 34,000 food service workers in all 50 states, either through direct payments for housing and utilities or referrals to community resources for substance misuse treatment, employment assistance and other social services.
“Billy is a great example for other restaurant industry operators to see what giving back in the industry can look like,” she said.
This December, Kramer is launching a guest bartender series at NFA Burger in Avalon, featuring Atlanta personalities “Foodie Road Trip” host Skye Estroff and others. Proceeds from each Saturday shift will go to Giving Kitchen, with Kramer personally matching donations.
He hopes his actions will not only increase awareness of the organization’s mission and services but also inspire other restaurant owners to get involved.
“People in the restaurant industry are used to taking care of others first, but you have to take care of them as much as they take care of their customers,” he said of why Giving Kitchen’s mission means so much to him.
“We’re trying to make it so that the barista at your favorite coffee shop who broke their foot gets the treatment and rest and support they need so they can come back to that job and not leave for another industry,” he explained.
According to Kramer, restaurants succeed only when the people who work in them are healthy and supported. And with ongoing initiatives like the Giving Kitchen table at NFA Avalon, he is leading by example.
