Sunday, March 6, 2011

How to get the most out of Restaurant Week


 It's here again, from March 6-11th and from March 13-18th 2011, restaurants all over the Greater Boston area will be offering prix fix menus at discounted prices.
Restaurant Week is a tradition that has been around for quite a while now and is a great way to try out those restaurants you have had your eye on, without having to dig too deep in your pockets.
Participating restaurants offer 2 course lunches at $15.11, 3 course lunches at $20.11 and 3 course dinners at $33.11. 
There is not much to it: pick out your restaurant, make your reservation and eat your heart out, however there are certain things you may want to keep in mind in order to get the most out of your experience.
First of all, I would do a bit of research and go to the most expensive place out there on your list.  Simply put, don't pick a restaurant where you would come out spending less than 35 dollars. I personally would look for a place whose regular Prix Fix price is no less than 40 dollars. That way you already know you are getting a deal.
I would also avoid tapas restaurants. I once went to Toro for restaurant week and although it is the only time you can make a reservation at this place, my friends and I ended up spending about 50 dollars more than we would have with the regular menu...this was simply because of the sneaky way they set their deal. Instead of having a selection of tapas for each individual, they alot a certain number depending on the size of the party.  With each person paying 33.11, you end up paying for more than you ate...I was not a happy camper when I did my calculations.
Another thing I would be wary of is 'aditional charges', some menu offer slightly higher  priced items with an attached '$' amount.  These may seem trivial, but they add up.
Lastly, try to plan ahead, reserve your table as early as possible because this restaurant phenomenon has gained so much momentum that restaurants tend to get full pretty quickly.
For more info and a list of participating restaurants, visit:

2 comments:

  1. All great points. I would add one more. Go to some place you have never been before. I find I get in to a lot of ruts with my dining choices (currently go to Erbaluce in Bay Village more that I care to admit), but try to use Restaurant Week as a way to try new places. If you don't like the meal at least it isn't as big of a mistake. Also I find that some places really put a lot of effort in to the week and use it to draw in new customers, others try to keep there menu's as inexpensive to produce as possible. It is a good way to gauge how much an establishment cares about its customers.

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  2. You are definately right! I think going to a new place for restaurant week is a huge thing to factor into your choice...thanks so much for adding that:)

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