SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., (KRON) — With many restaurants reducing operations to stop the spread of the coronavirus, a local Bay Area burger joint is helping medical personnel by offering a free meal.

The Melt, founded and headquartered in San Francisco is offering free meals that are up to $15 for all hospital and medical staff beginning Thursday.

After the shelter-in-place order CEO Ralph Bower was forced to reduce his staff and offer take-out services.

Over the last few days Bower tells KRON 4 that most of their customers ordering take-out are first responders.

The idea to offer free meals to all medical personnel came from employees as a way to show their appreciation to those helping to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

“We wanted to show our appreciation to those folks on the front lines,” Bower said.

Starting Thursday, in order to receive a free meal medical personnel must show their medical badge.

The Melt has three locations in San Francisco and one in Palo Alto.

Free meals to medical personnel will continue indefinitely.