Restaurant Week Application
Apply Now for Restaurant Week 2025!
Thank you for your interest in Cedar Rapids Restaurant Week 2025! Please read all the expectations and requirements before filling out the application below. Members of the Economic Alliance are encouraged to apply for Restaurant Week 2025.
To be a potential participant of Restaurant Week you are required to be a member of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance.
The Fork & Knife Feast event is back!
Fork & Knife Feast is a lively and celebratory kickoff event to Restaurant Week. Attendees come hungry and ready to sample your Restaurant Week dishes as well as mix and mingle with fellow foodies. Restaurants who apply and are accepted to Restaurant Week agree to participate in Fork & Knife Feast and follow all points outlined below.
Restaurants applying agree to the following:
- Fork & Knife Feast participation is mandatory for selected establishments. This means being on-site for the event, providing approximately 250 samples for attendees, and optional participation in the cocktail competition.
- A homegrown restaurant located within the greater Cedar Rapids metro area (includes neighboring communities)
- Become members of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, if not already
- Restaurant, defined as a business serving meals on premises, must be independently owned and operated. No franchises or chains will be selected.
- Normal establishment hours of operation must include 7 of the 10 days of Restaurant Week 2025.
- Adhere to the event timeline dates outlined below
- Active participation in promotion of Restaurant Week 2025 before and throughout the week
- Provide special Restaurant Week menu for patrons throughout entire duration of Restaurant Week
- Provide menu item/s and any necessary logos, graphics, and photos by January 24.
- Promote Restaurant Week, as well as specific menu items, on all available channels (in-house, website, social media, etc.) from February 17 – March 2, 2025.
- Provide net food sales revenue at the completion of Restaurant Week 2025. (This information is confidential and used strictly to determine economic impact of Restaurant Week.)
- Include Restaurant Week punch card with patron’s bills and provide stamps with purchases
Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance Agrees To:
- Produce Fork & Knife Feast
- Provide a stipend to assist with food costs for the event
- Dedicated volunteers to serve as food runners/assistants to reduce staffing obligation on restaurants
- Provide approximate attendance numbers five days in advance
- Produce a comprehensive Restaurant Week marketing campaign including Fork & Knife Feast, highlighting all participating restaurants.
- Participating restaurants will be featured at least once on social media platforms.
- Each restaurant will be included on Restaurant Week webpage, email newsletters, press releases and more.
- Earned media opportunities will be provided as available.
- Purchase & provide print collateral recognizing participating restaurants, including but not limited to:
- Promotional menu included on the Restaurant Week webpage.
- Table tents, stickers, and/or other collateral items for promotion of Restaurant Week.
- Provide participating restaurants with promotional punch cards for customers
- Provide digital promotional toolkit for participating restaurant use.
Yes, I meet these expectations!
If you meet the above expectations, please fill out the application below to be considered for participation in Cedar Rapids Restaurant Week 2025. Please note: filling out this application does not guarantee participation in Cedar Rapids Restaurant Week 2025. All applications will be reviewed by a Restaurant Week committee, with participants selected. The selected participants will be contacted with the invitation to participate no later than December 18, 2024.
No, I cannot meet these expectations.
Please consider applying next year!
Restaurant Week Timeline
October 28- Applications open to Restaurants
By December 6 – Tickets live on website for Fork & Knife Feast
December 6- Applications due to Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, absolutely no applications accepted after this date.
December 18- Restaurants selected & notified by Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance
January 15 – If Restaurant is not a member, must become member by this date.
January 24 – Logos and photos, menus & applicable membership forms due to Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance (include checkboxes confirming these things)
Week of January 20 – Participating restaurants announced to public, promotion begins
February 20 – Fork & Knife Feast
February 21 – March 2 – Cedar Rapids Restaurant Week 2025