FAQs for Participating Restaurants
Download this FAQ as a PDF.
Does my restaurant have to participate for two weeks?
Yes. All participating restaurants are required to participate for the full two-week period.
Do I have to offer a multi-course dinner for $52.80 for two or $26.40 for one to participate?
Yes. It is completely up to the restaurant to determine the menu, but to participate in the program you must have a multi-course meal for the fixed price of $52.80 for two, or $26.40 for one (not including tax and gratuity). You can offer one choice for dinner or have three or four options for the fixed price. You can also offer your full a la carte menu. Most of the restaurants that participated in 2011 offered three or four selections and printed a special Denver Restaurant Week menu, in addition to offering their regular menu.
Can I offer “upgrades” to the menu for more money?
Yes. Several restaurants offered a fixed price multi-course meal for $26.40 with additional options for more money. That is, you could offer the basic option for $26.40 and add, “With shrimp, add $4.00; with lobster, add $8.00.” But you must offer at least one multi-course option at the $26.40 price.
Can I include liquor in the fixed price?
Yes. You can include beer, wine, cocktails or any other beverage in the multi-course fixed price. Many restaurants include a bottle of wine to reach the $52.80 price point for two. Alternatively, many restaurants offer discounted cocktails or wine as additional ways to grow the guest check.
Note: Denver Restaurant Week has partnered with E&J Gallo Wineries for the last three years and are offering selected inventory and program support to participating restaurants. If you are interested in learning more about this program, contact Andrea Sbicca at andrea.sbicca@ejgallo.com.
Do I have to be a member of VISIT DENVER in order to participate?
No, but if you are a member of VISIT DENVER you save $100 in registration costs. The cost to participate in Denver Restaurant Week is $350 for VISIT DENVER members, $400 for members of the Colorado Restaurant Association and $450 for restaurants that are not members of either. To learn more about the benefits of being a member of VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau and to qualify for discounted Denver Restaurant Week rates and other benefits, contact Janelle Grammens at jgrammens@visitdenver.com or 303.571.9438
How will Denver Restaurant Week be promoted?
All registration fees will be used for marketing.
- Print and online advertising in The Denver Post
- Print and online advertising in Westword, including a brochure insertion
- Magazine advertising in 5280 Magazine and Wild Blue Yonder (Frontier Airline’s in-flight)
- Radio advertising on the Clear Channel and Entercom radio networks, as well as Colorado Public Radio
- A dedicated Denver Restaurant Week web site will list all participating restaurants and their full Denver Restaurant Week menus. In 2011, the Denver Restaurant Week Web site received more than eight million pageviews with each visitor spending an average of 8.5 minutes on the site, viewing an average of 14 pages
- 115,000 informational brochures listing all participating restaurants, phone numbers and addresses will be distributed to participating restaurants, visitor information centers and other retail locations
- 1,000 posters will be distributed to participating restaurants and will be displayed in various locations throughout the Denver metro area
- An ongoing public relations campaign will include an announcement press conference/event, chef specials and possible tie-ins with television and radio stations featuring selected chefs
- Channel 9, KUSA will feature select Denver Restaurant Week participating chefs and dishes
- Denver Restaurant Week ads will run on all restaurant radio shows including the Gabby Gourmet
- Denver Restaurant Week promotions will run on the RTD Mall Ride and inside Light Rail cars
- Open Table will send email blasts about Denver Restaurant Week to their full membership list
- E-mail blasts promoting Denver Restaurant Week will be sent to various distribution lists including 40,000 contacts on VISIT DENVER’s e-mail list and many others
Can I also advertise in Denver Restaurant Week?
Yes. As in past years, cooperative advertising opportunities will be available for our print newspaper campaign in The Denver Post. Details are as follows below:
The Denver Post Ad Package
When you register for Denver Restaurant Week you can order a special 2 column x 4 inch ad that will appear three times in The Denver Post for an additional $660. These ads will run on Wednesday, February 22, Friday, February 24 and Wednesday, February 29, 2012. This would make the total cost $1010 for members of VISIT DENVER, $1060 for members of the Colorado Restaurant Association and $1110 for non-members.
If we are a chain restaurant, does each unit in the chain have to register separately if they want to participate?
Yes. All restaurants receive identical benefits so each participating restaurant has to register individually. However, it is not necessary for all members of the chain to join.