FAQ’s & BEST PRACTICES 

When is Pikes Peak Restaurant Week?

April 9 – 18, 2021. Your restaurant must participate all 10 days.

What is Pikes Peak Restaurant Week?

Restaurant Week is an annual event for participating restaurants to offer discounted multi-course menus for one of three pricing tiers: $15, $25 or $35 per person.

Who is organizing Restaurant Week?

Visit Colorado Springs (VCOS) and The Pikes Peak Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association (CRA).

What is the cost to participate?

In 2019, restaurants were required to pay a registration fee. This year, that fee has been waived thanks to our sponsors.

What information & items are needed from my restaurant?

  • Completed registration form
  • 2 high-res photographs jpg files (one may be your logo) to be used for marketing materials
  • Menu details

How do the menus work?

Each restaurant must create a multi-course meal for one of the three pricing tiers of $15, $25 or $35. These prices are per person, not per couple. The courses are completely up to you – it could be one appetizer, one entrée and one dessert or one appetizer, one entrée and one drink, etc. – as long as the menu represents a true discount (20% or more recommended) to the consumer. In addition, you can offer a single choice or multiple choices for each course for the consumer to choose from. During Restaurant Week, you may offer both the Restaurant Week menu and your regular menu.

Example of restaurant week menu:

Can we offer to-go and takeout as an option?

Absolutely. Ideally, your restaurant will offer consumers the option to dine in or order takeout. This will ensure the consumer feels comfortable, while bringing the maximum exposure and business to your restaurant. You will be able to offer the same menu for dining-in and take out or you can choose to offer different items for take-out.

Do I have to print my own restaurant week menus?

Visit Colorado Springs will print and deliver disposable, paper menus for each restaurant at no additional cost. However, we will provide you with the file so you can print your menus if you wish to. We will also provide QR codes for your tables.

Should I create separate menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

No, just one menu per restaurant.

Is tax and/or gratuity included in the pricing tiers?

No, tax and gratuity are not included in the price.

Do I have to include alcohol?

No, it is not a requirement, but it is an option in your multi-course menu. If you decide to include alcohol, be sure to offer a comparable non-alcoholic option if someone does not drink alcohol or is under 21 years of age.

What’s in it for me?

Restaurant Week offers restaurants the opportunity to introduce the community to your food and atmosphere at a price that will encourage dining out and trying new places. Restaurant Week will bring revenue and exposure to your establishment.

How will Restaurant Week be promoted?

Restaurant Week will be promoted via print, social, TV and radio advertising to Colorado Springs and the Front Range. 100% of the participate fees go directly into the advertising campaign, which will start in late August or early September.

Each restaurant will receive 2-3 posters as well as ¼-sized flyers to distribute within their establishment approximately 4 weeks in advance of restaurant week.

Like in 2019, we are creating a web app that users can use to view the participating restaurant menus and redeem their meal discount. As an incentive to sign up use the app, the consumer will automatically be entered into a drawing to win a collection of $25 gift cards each time they “check in” to a restaurant.

In addition to advertising, we also have an Instagram account for Pikes Peak Restaurant Week, with the handle @PikesPeakRestaurantWeek. Every restaurant that participates will receive their own post. The hashtag will be #PikesPeakRestaurantWeek.

How can I help promote?

Tag your social media pictures with @PikesPeakRestaurantWeek and use the hashtag #PikesPeakRestaurantWeek. You are also encouraged to add your restaurant week menus to your website and social channels. We will provide all participants with a media kit containing assets and pre-written posts that you can use on your own social platforms to promote Restaurant Week.

Where will menus be posted?

Customers will be able to download the restaurant week app to view the menus, and there will also be printed menus in each restaurant. We encourage to add your menu to your website and social channels.

Best Practices

  • Build a menu based on your goals.
    • What vibe are you going for?
    • Do you want to feature a new dish or a new chef?
    • Is your goal to bring in more customers?
    • How are you going to achieve this with your menu?
  • You don’t have to use dishes from your regular menu. You can create a unique Restaurant Week menu that consumers can’t normally get at your restaurant.
  • If you create a new menu, keep in mind food and labor costs.
  • If you’re offering alcohol as a part of your multi-course menu, please be sure to offer an alternative if someone does not drink alcohol or is under 21. This could be a mocktail or a dessert.
  • Train your staff on Restaurant Week and the menu. We will provide training material on how customers can download the app to earn entries into the raffle. Signing up on the web app is not a requirement to participate in Restaurant Week, but please train your staff to encourage guests to sign up and use the app so that we can track its success.
  • Spread the word! Post pictures on your March and April advertising and social media posts, upload the menu to your webpage, etc. The more exposure, the more people will come to your restaurant.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to another successful year and Restaurant Week campaign!

Email Jane@VisitCOS.com with any questions, comments or concerns.