Some might argue that an article about Restaurant Week is merely an opportunity to dish out a series of food puns*.  How tasteless.  This, of course, will be a serious review of the juicy opportunities, the hot potatoes, the bread-and-butter issues, and the meaty challenges towns and cities must sink their teeth into as they consider the sweet and sour of hosting a Restaurant Week.

 

The Heat is on

Restaurants don’t have it easy these days.

In 2024, UK retail footfall fell by 2.2% year-on-year.  Meanwhile, 70% of pubs, bars, restaurants, and hotels expect to cut staff in 2025 due to rising costs and reduced rates relief.

This comes at a time when diners are becoming more selective, often prioritising value-driven experiences.  As a result, transactions within casual dining restaurants have dropped 13% year on year.

As trading conditions reach boiling point, many restaurants are looking for ways to avoid getting burned.  Enter Restaurant Week.

Beyond the obvious allure of discounted dining, Restaurant Weeks offer a smorgasbord of benefits, breathing new life into local economies, showcasing regional culinary talent, and fostering a renewed sense of community. Let’s look at the menu in more detail, shall we?

 

Extra dough

Hosting a Restaurant Week can be a recipe for economic success.

Take York, for example. In March 2024, the city’s Restaurant Week saw over 100 participating establishments and resulted in an estimated £319,770 in spend.  Indeed, since its launch in 2019, York’s Restaurant Weeks have collectively generated an estimated £1.45 million for the city’s hospitality sector.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s inaugural Restaurant Week in 2024 saw 75 participating venues, an additional 50,000 diners in city centre restaurants, and a total of £237k in food and drink orders.

Them’s some tasty numbers.

 

Appy customers

Technology has the power to elevate any Restaurant Week to a truly five-star experience.

Blackpool’s first-ever Restaurant Week (March 27–April 3, 2025) will leverage the Go Blackpool app, which lets diners explore the many local venues, offers, tours, and price ranges all in one place.   Local restaurants will be able to promote their special menus to the public via Targeted Notifications and Geoalerts.

In this regard, Blackpool will follow the example set during Nottingham’s second-ever Restaurant Week in June 2024.  Thanks to the It’s in Nottingham digital town hub, participants had access to the city’s user-friendly app that put all the latest deals at their fingertips, allowing diners to find their perfect meal at the right price.

Over the course of the week, there were an impressive 76,268 views of Nottingham Restaurant Week tour screens on the app.  *Chef’s kiss.

 

Shared plates

Food has a unique way of bringing people together — and Restaurant Week serves it up on a grand scale.

Belfast typically runs two Restaurant Weeks per year, one in February and one in September. Recent events have seen a record number of chefs and restaurants participating. Even more impressively, the event is coordinated by three separate Place organisations who combine their time and resources into the campaign, with Belfast One, Cathedral Quarter, and Linen Quarter BIDs collaborating for this city-wide celebration of food.

The result?  Certain venues reported a 70% surge in lunch bookings and a 30% increase in dinner reservations.   A nice little feast for the local economy.

 

More than food

Many diners are looking for more than just cheap eats when they go out.  And restaurants have recognised the need to offer an experience as well as a meal.

Cork on a Fork Festival ran for 5 days in August 2024, and gave diners the opportunity to not just eat their own dinner, but to find it too.  Their “Wild Foraging Adventure” was just one of many alternative events intended to offer dinner with a difference.

Edinburgh’s Eat Out festival will run for the month of March 2025, and will include  brand new Supper Club events, where diners can hear first hand from celebrated chefs about the inspiration behind their meals.  All the while enjoying a seven-course tasting menu of the best of Scottish food in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle.  With 50% off.

Some pretty decent alternatives to takeaway on the couch.

 

Cream of the crop

Several UK towns and cities have recently turned up the heat.

Newcastle, the first UK city to introduce Restaurant Week in 2012, continued its legacy in January 2024, when 100+ restaurants participated, attracting over 100,000 diners and generating £2 million for local businesses.

Meanwhile, Norfolk and Hartlepool broke their own records during their recent Restaurant Weeks, as locals ventured beyond their usual haunts to explore new culinary landscapes.  These events are part of the wider trend for “bigger and better” as both restaurants and customers demonstrate their insatiable appetite for more.

 

Fresh batch

The success of Restaurant Week is contagious, and 2025 will see several first-time hosts:

• Whitby Restaurant Week will debut from March 3–9, 2025.
• Hexham’s First Restaurant Week is also set for March 3–9, 2025.
• Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week is scheduled from March 10-16 2025

As more towns and cities join the Restaurant Week movement, the potential for local economies to thrive, communities to unite, and restaurants to recover from challenging times only grows.

 

Taste of things to come

So, whether your town is a seasoned pro or just getting a taste for it, Restaurant Week could be the secret ingredient to busier restaurant tills in your high streets. Just a little food for thought.

*we can only apologise for the number of food puns butchered in the creation of this article