D.C. restaurant week has been extended another week due to the government shutdown.
Over 180 restaurants in the D.C. area will continue to offer the promotion through Sunday, January 27.
According to the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, this is the first time in 18 years that it is extending its winter restaurant week.
The association's decision to extend restaurant week comes while the federal government shutdown remains ongoing. The shutdown has been impacting business at the restaurants.
Restaurant operators say they have seen an average of a 20 percent decrease. Some restaurants have seen a decrease as high as 60 percent.
“Officially extending Restaurant Week is just one way the restaurant industry is showing support during the shutdown. The promotion is helping to lift spirits as it offers a dining deal to those impacted by the shutdown and as the Restaurant Week promotion drives traffic to restaurants who are experiencing a slow-down in business,” says RAMW President and CEO Kathy Hollinger. “We started Restaurant Week after the tragedies of 9/11 when people in our region were dining out less. Over time, Restaurant Week has grown to represent an affordable opportunity for guests to enjoy a great meal while helping stimulate our local economy. Now, during the longest federal government shutdown in our nation’s history, restaurants want to continue providing an opportunity for their guests to save, but also to promote dining out. In addition to Restaurant Week, many restaurants are also continuing to offer specials to furloughed employees.”
