National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express Announce 2025 Grantees of Backing Historic Small Restaurants

The Rock Cafe in Stroud, May 2025.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express have announced the latest grantees for their Backing Historic Small Restaurants program, which includes multiple locations along Historic Route 66. This is the fifth year of the program that celebrates small, independently-operated restaurants around the country. In that time, the grant program has helped preserve America’s culinary heritage and beloved neighborhood buildings by awarding over $8 million in grants to 180 historic small restaurants across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

This year’s program selected 50 restaurants across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands to receive $50,000 apiece for various needs. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is proud to announce that one of our members, the Rock Cafe in Stroud, is among the grantees. Two other locations in Oklahoma on or near Route 66, Ike’s Chili in Tulsa and Florence’s Restaurant in Oklahoma City, were also selected. For a full list of grantees, see the National Trust’s website here.

"What started as a pandemic response has grown into a movement to uplift the historic restaurants that shape our neighborhoods and connect generations through food," said Madge Thomas, Head of Corporate Sustainability at American Express in a press release. "Our 2025 grantees reflect the deep-rooted food traditions that define American communities, and we hope these grants spark ripple effects that sustain them in the future."

"These restaurants demonstrate the power that places hold. For generations, neighbors have gathered here, shared stories, made new connections, and enjoyed regional cuisine that often reflects our nation's global roots," said Carol Quillen, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "We're grateful and proud to join with American Express to help ensure that these meaningful places thrive and continue to serve as vibrant, welcoming spaces for years to come."

Learn more about the valuable ways American Express helps restaurant owners run and grow their businesses here. For more on the 2025 Backing Historic Small Restaurants grantees, visit savingplaces.org/historicrestaurants.