Birmingham residents can visit local restaurants at a discount price this week.
The Magic City’s Restaurant Week runs through Saturday. Forty eateries will offer special menus at a fixed price ranging from $5 to $50. Residents only have to visit a participating restaurant and ask for the Restaurant Week menu.
Organizer Audrey Pannell says this week is a great opportunity for food venues to earn back what they lost during the pandemic.
“In the past, Birmingham Restaurant Week participants usually see a sales increase of at least 50% from a non-Restaurant Week week," she said. "Our goal is to support our local restaurants. Birmingham has a huge food scene; we’ve been nationally award winning. We’re really here to promote our local restaurants and make sure they succeed.”
Restaurant week organizers are also partnering with sponsors to help local chefs bounce back from the impact of COVID-19.
“It’s not easy to own a restaurant especially during COVID. They have struggled to come back from that and then facing staffing shortages, inflation and shortages with ingredients that they might have," Pannell said. "We really try to meet them where they are. Part of Restaurant Week is partnering with important sponsors that can overall help them long-term.”
One partner is Sysco Foods. That company is helping restaurant owners develop their menus and offers pre-cut ingredients to owners low on staff.