OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Omaha Restaurant Week counters 31% average menu price increases with $20-$50 three-course meals, supporting local businesses and Food Bank donations.
- Timber Creek Pizza Pub & Grill and 72 Table & Tap are two of three restaurants offering $20 meals.
- "It's just really important to us to be able to offer them something that's still of value, still of quality, at a good price. Your money is valuable, your time is valuable," said a restaurant rep for the two businesses.
- Visit Omaha strategically places the event in September, which represents a low point for local restaurant
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Dining out has become significantly more expensive, with average menu prices jumping 31% since February 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As restaurants face the challenge of attracting customers amid rising costs, Omaha Restaurant Week is providing relief for both diners and local establishments.
The average price of a single meal at a dine-in restaurant now costs close to $30 per person. For upscale establishments, the National Restaurant Association reports that price climbs to $70 or more per meal.
Omaha Restaurant Week offers a solution, bringing neighbors together to support local businesses with three-course meals ranging from $20 to $50. Participating restaurants include Timber Creek Pizza Pub & Grill and 72 Table & Tap, both offering meals at the $20 price point.
"It's just really important to us to be able to offer them something that's still of value, still of quality, at a good price. Your money is valuable, your time is valuable," Jayson Ross said.
Ross is the area director for the restaurant group that oversees these two restaurants. After participating for the first time last year and seeing an uptick in sales, they decided to join again.
"And people are looking for that deal and are looking for what they can do, how they can feed their family," Ross said.
The search for deals reflects a broader trend among diners. The National Restaurant Association found in 2022 that 72% of diners say discounts or special offers influence where they choose to eat.
"Their money is sacred, their time is sacred. So they wanna make sure A: they're gonna get the service that they want, and then B: what they get is, is satisfying that hunger for them," Ross said.
Visit Omaha strategically places the event in September, which represents a low point for local restaurants.
"You have kids that have gone back to school, a lot of people are taking it easy after a busy summer and football starts. And so, it's a slower time for restaurants and so Omaha Restaurant Week really serves as a catalyst for reminding people to get out to the restaurants and guess what? They actually do get out," said Erin O'Brien, Visit Omaha interim VP of marketing and communications.
For diners, Visit Omaha says the event provides an opportunity to try something or somewhere new without breaking the bank.
The event also supports the community beyond dining. Five percent of proceeds benefit Food Bank for the Heartland, with last year's event generating over $13,000 in donations.
