Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week Rules & Standards
Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week Standards
The Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week Rules and Standards have been created in order to assure fairness among all participants involved. If a restaurant does not follow these rules, they will not be invited to participate in future promotions.
To register for Restaurant Week, your restaurant must be a member in good standing of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW). Registrations are accepted only via the RAMW online enrollment portal. If your restaurant is not a current member, please join online here.
- Level of Service
- Diversity of Menu
- Quality of Ingredients
- Overall Experience
Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week Rules
The following are rules for participating in the Restaurant Week promotion:
- Participating restaurants MUST offer, at a minimum, a three-course or equivalent prix-fixe menu. Lunch and Brunch menu price points are $25 and $35; Dinner menu price points are $40, $55, and $65.
- Participating restaurants MUST offer the three-course or equivalent prix-fixe menu for either lunch, dinner or both. Restaurants have the option to offer a Restaurant Week brunch menu that has an equivalent value of a 3-course menu. Weekend brunch cannot be the only service option offered during the course of the promotion.
- Participating restaurants MUST offer the three-course or equivalent prix fixe menu for either lunch, dinner or both during the normal operating hours for the selected service, lunch/dinner, for the entire promotional period of seven days. NOTE: During an extended promotional period, participating restaurants must offer the three-course or equivalent prix fixe menu for the duration of the promotional period - for example a two-week period, requires participation for both weeks during the normal operational hours of the restaurant.
- Participating restaurants MUST provide a PDF version of their designated Restaurant Week menu to be posted on the official Restaurant Week website.
- Participating restaurants MUST complete the post-promotion survey to provide feedback on the promotion.
To register for Restaurant Week, your restaurant must be a member in good standing of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington. Registrations are accepted via the RAMW online enrollment portal. To enroll, log into your member profile on RAMW.org. If your restaurant is not a current member, you can join online here.
Yes. The participation fee is $500 for early registration and $550 after the early registration deadline.
The participant registration fee goes to Restaurant Week website improvements, maintenance, advertising, marketing, and promotion of the event to help make it as successful as possible.
Yes. All restaurants receive identical benefits so each participating restaurant has to register individually.
Yes. Each restaurant will be listed individually and included in all promotional material as a separate restaurant.
Yes. All participating restaurants are required to offer their Restaurant Week menu for the selected service during all regular operating days, for the full length of the 7-day promotion period. Restaurants that opt to offer a Restaurant Week brunch service are able to choose from Saturday only, Sunday only or both days. NOTE: During an extended promotional period, participating restaurants must offer the three-course or equivalent prix fixe menu for the duration of the promotional period - for example a two-week period, requires participation for both weeks during the normal operational hours of the restaurant.
Yes. Each restaurant determines its Restaurant Week menu but must offer at least 3-courses or the equivalent of 3-courses for the specified promotional price points exclusive of tax and gratuity. You have the choice to offer menus at the price point that best fits your menu(s).
Restaurants have the option to offer a Restaurant Week brunch menu that has an equivalent value of a 3-course menu at the promotional price points.
Yes, restaurants can include beer, wine, cocktails or any other beverage within your Restaurant Week offer. If your standard price point for a 3-course meal falls within or below the Restaurant Week price point, we strongly suggest you include another course, glass of wine, cocktail or beer within the offer. You are able to indicate if you are offering pairings while registering your location. Cocktail and wine pairings are not expected to be included in prix fixe pricing.
Yes. You can offer the Restaurant Week menu at the stated price point with an upgrade option.
It’s up to you to decide what is offered on your Restaurant Week menu. Many participants offer a special menu or include their full menu as part of the promotion. Whatever, you decide to do, Restaurant Week diners are looking for something special at your restaurant during the event. It is a best practice to create a menu that will showcase your restaurant.
Your restaurant will be listed on the official Restaurant Week site upon completion of your registration including payment of the participation fee.
Yes. All participants will receive the Restaurant Week Tool-Kit inclusive of the official Restaurant Week logo, canned social media messages, and customizable templates for your use in promoting your restaurant for the event. You may also email rw@ramw.org to request the logo once registered.