Eateries learn from 2nd Restaurant Week

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - After 11 days of three-course meal specials, Restaurant Week wrapped up on Saturday night.

More than 70 restaurants participated in the second year of the event. They stayed packed, according to managers.

"It's been really busy," Peppino's bartender Emily Kopen said.

"It was a lot of great exposure for Downtown Grand Rapids, which is what we kind of expected," McFaddens Assistant Manager Dan Seaver said.

Bartenders, servers and managers barely got any time to rest -- all in the name of good food for a discounted price.

Things were a little different this year than last.

In addition to one more day and more restaurants signing up to participate, restaurants had more options, according to Restaurant Week Project Manager Sally Zarafonetis.

"What we found last year when we did restaurant week is we just had one price point," Zarafonetis said. "Some of the restaurants couldn't justify that price point just because they didn't cater to that kind of clientele."

This year, a couple could take advantage of the deal; two people could get a three-course meal for $25.

Restaurant workers told 24 Hour News 8 that they learned some lessons this year, too.

"We're hoping to do a little more advertising next year," Kopen said.

"A few of our new items, people actually requested to have on our main menu," Seaver said. "Buffalo chicken dip will be on our new menu, I'm pretty sure."

Restaurant week organizers will survey participating restaurants to determine what needs to change for next year, they said.

This was the second year Grand Rapids had a Restaurant Week. It lasted Nov. 3 though Nov. 13.