Charleston Restaurant Week, in its third year, was held January 25-30, 2016. The event brought together residents of Charleston, visitors to the area, and 20 local restaurants. Charleston Restaurant Week has become one of the most highly anticipated culinary events in Charleston as a chance to enjoy local cuisine and specialty menus. As a normally slow time of year for business, restaurants use the event to lure people out and gain exposure to new diners.
During Charleston Restaurant Week, over 10,000 meals were sold. The economic impact including: meals, tax, gratuity, bar sales, and parking is estimated at $500,000. Participating restaurants represented an abundant variety of neighborhoods and culinary styles in Charleston. Many restaurants raved about having doubled revenue during the week, and including live music and drink specials. Several restaurants owners took a hands-on approach and were working in their kitchens and front of house due to the increase in business.
Returning Restaurants: Adelphia, B&D Gastropub, Bluegrass Kitchen, Bridge Road Bistro, Celsius, Ichiban Pan Asian Restaurant, Mi Cocina de Amor, Paterno’s at the Park, Soho’s at Capitol Market, Starling’s, Tidewater, and Quarrier Diner. New Restaurants: The Block, Bricks & Barrels, Su Tei, Dem 2 Brothers and a Grill, Aladdin, Leonoro’s Spaghetti House, and Fifth Quarter.
For the first time, a media launch party called First Course was held prior to Charleston Restaurant Week, at JQ Dickinson Salt in Malden, WV. Restaurants brought samples of one or more courses they would be offering throughout the promotion and had a chance to speak about their involvement. Engagement with media professionals helped bring the event to the forefront of channels during the week. This year, social media engagement was increasingly higher. Several giveaways across multiple channels both from the official channels, and other media outlets increased engagement. The #cwvrestweek hashtag is used continually to categorize and track the event. The Facebook page for Charleston Restaurant Week was liked by over 3500 people, 1500 new likes this year, with a reach of up to 20,000 per post. The Twitter received
For more information on participants and menus for 2016, go to www.cwvrestaurantweek.com
