Restaurant Week helps Bethesda restaurants during off-season

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) – It was another busy Monday inside Maman Café, one of over 30 restaurants participating in this year’s Savor Bethesda Restaurant Week. The only difference is that customers are able to order their favorite items at a reduced price.

“[We have] a cookie trio for $10, and we also have a $20 lunch. You can choose between some sandwiches we have on the menu or some salads. You get one coffee or tea as well, and you also get to choose one classic cookie,” Maman Café general manager Juan Carlos Ayala said.

Organizers chose this week intentionally to host Restaurant Week.

“Fall is usually a good time for restaurants [with] the holiday season,” said Stephanie Coppula, director of marketing and communications for Bethesda Urban Partnership. “[…] We want to kind of keep that momentum going at the beginning of the year. February is a good time to do that after Valentine’s Day and before spring arrives.”

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Ayala says Restaurant Week has been beneficial for his café.

“[It] brings us business and it puts us all on the map as well,” he said

The Salt Line general manager Paul Fitz agrees.

“Restaurant Week started off really well for us,” Fitz said. “You know, going into a holiday weekend we saw a lot more traffic.”

And with their diverse, discounted restaurant week lunch menu, Fitz anticipates even more traffic throughout the week.

“I think it’s good exposure to people that haven’t heard of us or haven’t visited us yet, to be able to come in and check us out,” he said.

Savor Bethesda Restaurant Week will continue until Sunday. A list of the participating restaurants can be found here.

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