NEW YORK In a sign of the challenging economic times, this city’s marketing and tourism board said Wednesday it would expand the length of its winter restaurant week promotion and hold prices at 2008 levels.
The NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2009 program is scheduled to run from Jan. 18-23 and Jan. 25-30, and will for the first time include Sundays. Prices for the program will remain unchanged at $24.07 for three-course, prix-fixe lunches and $35 for three-course prix-fixe dinners, excluding beverage, tax and gratuity.
More than 250 restaurants are expected to participate in the program, more than double the number that participated during the winter of 2007. More than 100 participating restaurants are expected to offer the prix-fixe meals on Sundays, NYC & Company said.
NYC & Company said that the addition of Sundays and the frozen prices were intended to add value to the annual promotion, which is in its 18th year.
"NYC Restaurant Week continues to bring together New York City's best restaurants to offer fine dining at an unbeatable price," said George Fertitta, chief executive of NYC & Company. "With an expansion to include pre-fixe menus on Sundays, we now offer New Yorkers and visitors even greater value at more than 250 restaurants."
Participating restaurants include some of New York’s best-known eateries, including Cafe des Artistes, Gramercy Tavern, La Goulue, Bar Boulud, Apiary and Nobu. New to the program in 2009 are Lever House Restaurant, The Palm Tribeca, Union Prime, Fishtail by David Burke, Dovetail and Country.
“NYC Restaurant Week is a celebration of dining,” said Tracy Nieporent, director of marketing for Myriad Restaurant Group and restaurant committee chairman for NYC & Company. “It brings together a community of our finest restaurants and allows us to demonstrate the quality, variety and hospitality that makes New York City the dining capital of the world.”