Downtown Dining Week tips
We asked Downtown Dining Week co-founder Deni Reilly for her advice on how to get the most out of the week.
Reilly brings a lot of experience to the table. Not only is she a co-founder of the week-long dining event, she owns Downtown restaurant The Majestic Grille with her husband, Patrick, and has participated in Downtown Dining Week every year.
Here are five of her tips:
Make reservations: Make your reservation today. This dining week is very popular, and reservations fill up quickly.
Check hours of operation: Many restaurants are still operating with smaller capacity and on reduced hours, so double check restaurants’ hours on their websites.
Be kind and tip like a champ: While the meals are discounted, your servers are still doing just as much work to wait on you as they would with a full-priced meal. Reilly recommends you base your tip on what your meal would normally cost, then “add some happiness on top.”
Be patient and flexible: Restaurants are dealing with supply chain delays and price increases across the board, so expect changes in menus and some flexibility in offerings this year.
“We’ve given participating restaurants the flexibility to create offerings that best meet their current business needs,” Reilly said. “The menus may look a little different this year, but there will be still be delicious deals to enjoy.”
Don’t overlook the drink options: Downtown Dining Week offerings at most places include cocktail, beer and wine specials. “We have wonderful wine and spirits sponsors in Delicato Family Wines and Old Dominick Distillery,” Reilly said. “Support our sponsors and order a cocktail or three.”