Fine dining discounts are showing up in places that once seemed built around full-price splurges. The change looks less like a gimmick and more like a response to diners who still want a restaurant night out, but are watching the check more closely.
Why more luxury restaurants are offering lower priced menus
Restaurant trade data suggests the pressure starts with the customer. The National Restaurant Association said one third of operators surveyed this summer were not profitable in the first half of the year, even as labor, food, and other operating costs kept rising. The group also said 39% of consumers reported spending less at restaurants in the third quarter than in the second quarter.
That same report found 43% of consumers said it had been somewhat or very difficult to dine at a restaurant during the past six months. Forty percent said they were relying more heavily on discounts and value promotions, up from 35% in the second quarter. Another 36% said they had shifted toward less expensive restaurants.
Those numbers help explain why even high end operators are experimenting with lower entry prices. The pattern has shown up in tasting menu dining, where the bill can climb qui...