Chicago Restaurant Week: Dine for $22-$44

POSTED BY
Carol

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Chicago Restaurant Week: Dine for $22-$44. Chicago Restaurant Week 2018 returns on January 26 – February 8 with some deals for dining at expensive restaurants at a discount. Honestly I don’t participate anymore except to purchase discounted gift cards. That deal is back. More details below. I just don’t find any of the dining deals compelling enough to battle the crowds. Also not everyone wants a three or four course meal, menus tend to be loaded with low cost options like chicken, cheap red meats, pasta, soups, and vege entrees. I just don’t see the value.

What is Restaurant Week

RW features three or four course prix fixe menus starting at $22 for brunch and lunch and $33 or $44 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity).

During RW many restaurants offer items that aren’t on their regular menu so you can’t easily compare “apples-to-apples” to determine if or what kind of deal you’re getting. You can still get an idea of what you’re saving. If an average three course meal at a restaurant is $60 and the Restaurant Week deal is $44, you may be saving over 20%.

All participating restaurants should provide you with their special Restaurant Week Menu; if not ask for it.

Save 20% on Restaurant Week and future dining with Amex. When and if this offer goes live I will re-post.

The better option is to take advantage of this Amex Offer during RW to get 20% off on future dining. And if you are going to do some RW dining, buy $25 gift cards, in separate purchases, with your registered Amex card (s) and get an additional 20% off.

How analyze the “deals”

Review the regular menu to see what a non-RW meal might cost.
The best deals are for an expensive cut of high quality beef at a discount.
Try to avoid low cost items such as soups, vegetarian or pasta dishes which generally are not a good deal. If you want a lower cost dish you may save by ordering off the regular menu.
Search for RW menu’s using the Restaurant Finder here (scroll down).
Buy gift cards strategically to save 20% now or later.

My “analysis” is based on three things: Is the food good? Is a comparable meal from the regular menu more than the RW price? Do I like the restaurant and usually eat there as a treat?