Last week, over 70 restaurants in Providence participated in Restaurant Week, an annual event organized by the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Participating restaurants offered a specific menu at reduced prices. Most presented either a three-course lunch for $12.95 or a three-course dinner for $29.95, while others offered two-for-one lunches and dinners.
Restaurant Week has previously taken place in the summer, but this year's organizers chose to move it to the winter "at the request of the restaurants," said Christine Walsh, director of partnership development for the bureau.
"Winter can be a slow time (for restaurants) due to the weather," she added.
The new timing of this year's program — called "Take a Bite Out of Winter" — augments the overall purpose of Restaurant Week, which is to increase business and bring in more visitors to the city, Walsh said.
Sanjiv Dhar, chef and owner of Kabob and Curry, said his restaurant had participated in the past and "did not get much business." "Running a three-course meal special at a lower price is not going to do much good," he added.
Ray Hugh, owner of Shanghai, said he had not previously heard of Restaurant Week. He noted Shanghai's many specials on its regular menu and said the restaurant did not need the additional help of the promotional week.
Emily Saltz '14 said she heard about Restaurant Week through friends. Saltz sampled the lunch menu at the Duck and Bunny on Wickenden Street and went to Pizzico Ristorante on Hope Street for dinner. She called the event a "super good deal."
