This Restaurant Is Trading Free Food for Spare Bottles of Sriracha Amid a Shortage

Get a free banh mi sandwich, popcorn chicken, or an order of summer rolls.

calimedia/Shutterstock
calimedia/Shutterstock

If your beloved Sriracha has been mysteriously missing from grocery store shelves as of late, here's why: Huy Fong Foods confirmed that it was facing "an unprecedented shortage" earlier this month.  

Now, a California-based restaurant is offering free food in exchange for unopened bottles of the fan-favorite hot sauce, Food & Wine reports

"We need Sriracha (Huy Fong Foods Brands ONLY)," Bé Ù, a Vietnamese street food restaurant, wrote on Instagram. "Of all the supply chain issues in the world, this one feels personal." 

Anyone with a fresh, unopened 28-ounce bottle of Sriracha can swap it with Bé Ù for a free banh mi sandwich, popcorn chicken, or an order of summer rolls, the restaurant said in its post on social media. The eatery is also taking 17-ounce bottles, but you'll only get half off your order for the smaller size.

According to those in the comment section, there were still bottles stocked at Ralph's, Target, and "the Albertsons in Los Feliz" where customers were stocking up to exchange. As of Thursday, Bé ù had already written 48 coupons. In a single day, no less.

"We are still endeavoring to resolve this issue that has [been] caused by several spiraling events, including unexpected crop failure from the spring chili harvest," Huy Fong told Food & Wine in a statement earlier this month. "We hope for a fruitful fall season and thank our customers for their patience and continued support during this difficult time."

Want more food deals?

Here's our huuuuuuuge running list of all the free food you can get right now, as well as the best pizza dealsreward programs, birthday freebiesgift card offersfood delivery offersalcohol delivery deals, and perks for getting your vaccination against COVID-19. If you want a little more than, say a free taco, we also have you covered with a long list of meals you can get at fast food chains under $5. You're welcome.

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Megan Schaltegger is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist.