D.C. eateries extend Restaurant Week deals after strong demand
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"Glam Italian" restaurant L'Ardente extends it's $35 Restaurant Week lunch and brunch. Photo: Courtesy Rey Lopez
It may be the start of meteorological fall, but Summer Restaurant Week is sticking around.
Why it matters: Several restaurateurs tell Axios this year's later-than-usual Restaurant Week brought a bigger bump in business than past editions, prompting some to keep the deals going.
- "Why not make the most of it? This year just kind of felt right," says restaurateur Eric Eden, who says he extended Restaurant Week at Love, Makoto and L'ardente for the first time.
By the numbers: More than 200 DMV restaurants are extending their deals past the original Aug. 30 end date — roughly two-thirds of participants.
- Some are offering Restaurant Week menus through Labor Day.
Zoom in: Kappo is among them. The Palisades wagyu tasting room extended after its waitlist topped 150 people and the kitchen went through more than 70 pounds of prized beef for its $65 Restaurant Week menu.
- A typical tasting there runs $150+.
Reality check: Restaurant Week is a little like a holiday weekend sale: Some deals start early and — surprise! — plenty get extended at the end.
- But restauranteurs Axios spoke with say stronger-than-usual demand helped drive their decisions this year.
Between the lines: Diners appear hungry for value.
- Software engineer Adam Stambouli, creator of the new Restaurant Week guide, Let's Eat DC, says many of the people visiting his site are using the "value" filter to find the best deals.
- And you can still eat for $25: The Royal is keeping its $25 breakfast, brunch and lunch through Sunday, while B Side and Bar Charley are extending $25 brunch.
The big picture: Restaurant Week is a balancing act. Only dues-paying members of D.C.'s restaurant association participate in the official promotion, and restaurants have to make the discounted math work.
- That can mean working with purveyors to source less expensive ingredients, trimming portions or courses, or using the week to test new dishes.
- Restaurant Week isn't always a win-win: Diners want a real bargain, while restaurants still need to make money. This summer, the appetite for a deal appears to be working for both.
What's next: Restaurant Week season keeps rolling. Maryland Restaurant Week runs Sept. 18–27, followed by Arlington Restaurant Week Oct. 12–19.