2 Boston restaurants join "Pay What You Can" initiative

Catch up quick: What began as a 20-restaurant charity event led by Michelin-starred Masala y Maíz in Mexico City has grown to a global initiative reaching 14 countries.

State of plate: 100 restaurants worldwide will participate on Wednesday, including over two dozen in the U.S.

• Comfort Kitchen, the James Beard-nominated restaurant in Dorchester, and Barra, a Mexican restaurant in Somerville, plan to participate.

What they're saying: "This day is an opportunity to make a little more room at the table and explore what hospitality can look like when it begins with trust, generosity and community," Comfort Kitchen wrote on Instagram.

Context: The event comes at a volatile time for the food industry.

• Americans are tightening their budgets as costs rise.
• The shift in consumer spending and smaller corporate budgets have hit restaurants and bars hard as they grapple with their own rising overhead costs.
• Post-pandemic hurdles like tariffs and, most recently, food recalls haven't helped.

Be smart: The event asks folks to pay what they can — not what they want just because they can.

Pro tip: Can't make it on Wednesday?

• Barra is offering street bites and "mini margs" for $8 each Tuesday-Sunday through the end of the month.