Ames Restaurant Week is a new winter tradition celebrating local dining and giving our community a reason to bundle up and eat out. It runs from January 30 to February 8, 2026 and includes two full weekends of special offers, secret menu items and spotlight moments for restaurants like yours.
We know the post-holiday stretch can be slow, so this is our way of giving restaurants a little boost when it’s needed most. Think of it as a friendly, low-risk way to bring in new faces, re-engage your regulars and remind everyone why they love to dine local.
Participation is completely free, but open only to current Discover Ames partners.
Applications are due by October 17th.
This is our first go at Restaurant Week, and we’re keeping it focused and fun.
Submitting the application form doesn’t automatically guarantee participation. We’ll review all applications to ensure they fit our event goals. If your restaurant is selected, we’ll contact you within a few days of your submission to confirm your participation.
We appreciate your interest and look forward to reviewing your application!
We don’t require a specific percentage, but we encourage you to offer enough of a discount to entice new customers to visit. The better the deal, the more likely people are to choose your restaurant during Restaurant Week.
We ask for basic traffic and sales feedback to help us measure the event’s success and improve future Restaurant Weeks. This typically includes customer count increases and general sales impact – nothing overly detailed or burdensome.
No, you only need to be open during your regularly scheduled hours. However, your special offer or secret menu item should be available throughout your entire operating time during the event.
All restaurants that meet the basic requirements will be accepted into this year’s pilot program. Since participation is limited to current Discover Ames partners in good standing, the number will be determined by how many eligible restaurants apply.
As long as your restaurant meets all the basic requirements listed, you’ll be accepted into the pilot program. The geographic scope is naturally limited since only current Discover Ames partners are eligible, and our partners are businesses in and around Ames.
We’ll confirm that you qualify and can participate within a few days of receiving your application. You’ll then receive a follow-up to confirm participation and discuss details.
Yes, you can change or update your special offering up until November 1st, when we’ll confirm all details to start finalizing marketing materials.
While we hope all selected restaurants can participate, we understand unexpected circumstances arise. Please contact Melissa Muschick at melissam@DiscoverAmes.com as soon as possible if you need to withdraw so we can adjust our marketing accordingly.
Reach out to Melissa Muschick, Director of Partner and Community Engagement.
She’s happy to help you brainstorm ideas or walk you through the process.
Email: melissam@DiscoverAmes.com
Phone: 515-956-3200
Reach out to Melissa Muschick, Director of Partner and Community Engagement.
She’s happy to help you brainstorm ideas or walk you through the process.
Email: melissam@DiscoverAmes.com
Phone: 515-956-3200
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