Ka’Wine & Dine

With Kawhi officially returning to the Toronto Raptors this season, Raptors Republic is bringing its viral Ka’Wine & Dine campaign back to life, revisiting the 2019 fan-led movement that saw hundreds of Toronto restaurants offer Kawhi free food for life if he re-signed with the team.

Created in partnership with Rethink, the campaign puts a puts a playful spin on Kawhi’s return while inviting Toronto’s restaurant community to revisit a promise first made seven years ago, bringing back the iconic Ka’Wine & Dine badge for a new generation of Raptors fans and celebrating his return to the city. "It Worked. He Back," says the new halo designed to place around existing Ka'Wine & Dine badges.

Originally launched by Raptors Republic in May 2019, following Kawhi’s legendary Game 7 buzzer-beater and the Raptors’ eventual NBA Championship win, Ka’Wine & Dine quickly became a city-wide movement. Hundreds of restaurants displayed badges in their windows, offering Kawhi free food for life in an effort to convince him to stay in Toronto. The offers soon extended far beyond restaurants, with businesses offering everything from free rides and teeth whitening to a $3 million condo and even a private plane.

Now, with Kawhi officially back in the 6ix, Rethink and Raptors Republic are turning this into a full-circle moment.

“It really became the unofficial symbol of the playoff run in 2019, so it only felt right to mark his return to the city and team by running it back. It may have taken seven years, but it worked”. says Mike Dubrick, Chief Creative Officer, North America.
Restaurants that participated in the original campaign - or those looking to get in on the fun this time around - can visit ka-wineanddine.com to download the updated Ka’Wine & Dine badge, display it in their windows and share their support by following and tagging @kawineanddine on Instagram.