marketing
| BY MAYA DOLLARHIDE |
marketing organization Choose
“Restaurant Week” events are
Chicago runs Chicago Res-
common across the United
taurant Week every spring. In
States. Food lovers enjoy
Beaumont, Texas, the Beaumont
the opportunity to try new
Convention & Visitors Bureau
restaurants at a good price,
runs #EATBMT Restaurant
and restaurants often benefit
Week, while the job of organiz-
by attracting new customers.
ing Restaurant Week in Placen-
But overall, are these events
tia, California falls to that city’s
worth your while?
Chamber of Commerce. Regional
Many restaurant owners think so. “Restaurant Weeks bring new
Turning the “BUZZ ” into business
like the LRA handle planning in some locales. And local media
customers in and create a buzz
sometimes take over planning:
with the regulars. Everybody
Restaurant Week in New York’s
loves a special night, a treat, and
Hudson Valley is the purview of
showing the newbies what to or-
the Valley Table magazine.
der,” says Dora Herrera, co-own-
RESTAURANT WEEK PROMOTIONS:
or local restaurant associations
Belonging to or partnering
er of California’s Yuca’s Pasadena
with the sponsoring organiza-
and Yuca’s Hut Los Feliz. Her
tions or associations often is the
family—with matriarch Socorro
only requirement to participate;
Herrera at the helm—has been
in the case of the Hudson Valley
cooking award-winning Yucatan-
event, however, restaurants pay
inspired dishes since 1976.
$800 to be part of the event.
Both locations participated in this year’s Dine Latino Restau-
CREATING THE MENU
rant Week in April, which was
Multi-course lunch and dinner
sponsored by the non-profit
specials are the most common
Latino Restaurant Association
offering found on Restaurant
(LRA) and focused on promoting
Week menus. Sometimes the
Mexican and Latin restaurants
dishes are from the regular
in the greater Los Angeles area.
menu, sometimes they’re new creations a chef or owner might
THE PLANNING PROCESS
want to try. In most cases, event
Many different organizations
organizers set rules participating
plan and sponsor Restaurant
restaurants must follow.
Week events throughout the
For example, restaurants par-
country, which typically take
ticipating in Austin Restaurant
place during spring and fall.
Week—which will return this
In Chicago, the destination
August in Austin, Texas after a
“Restaurant Weeks bring new customers in and create a buzz with the regulars. Everybody loves a special night, a treat, and showing the newbies what to order.” –DORA HERRERA, Yuca’s Pasadena and Yuca’s Hut Los Feliz
48 el restaurante | APR/MAY/JUN 2021
