RACVB Partners with City of Rockford to Promote, Support Region's Diverse Food & Beverage Scene

Rockford, IL ­­– In partnership with the City of Rockford, the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (RACVB) is set to host its inaugural Rockford Region Restaurant Week from Monday, January 18 through Sunday, January 24. To commemorate Restaurant Week, join us in ordering to-go to help celebrate and support the hardworking local food and beverage service industry.

During this year’s To-Go Rockford Restaurant Week, establishments will offer their most creative carryout, delivery and to-go packages for patrons of all palette types. These specials include a variety of exclusive menu items, themed take-out options, limited time promotions, and more. Residents and visitors are encouraged to venture out safely following state health guidelines for pick up and carry-out, or enjoy delivery to participate from the comforts of home.

“We have exceptional food and beverage establishments here in the Rockford region, and we wanted to thank them in a special way with our first-ever Rockford Region Restaurant Week. This is a chance for the community to rally together for this hardworking industry, which has been greatly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Andrea Cook, RACVB senior manager of marketing & communications. “It’s a new year, a fresh beginning and an opportunity for all of us to continue to find fun ways to show our appreciation ordering to-go as much as we can throughout the Rockford region.”

Here is how you can support local during To-Go Rockford Restaurant Week:

  • Enter the Dine Local Year-Long Prize Package, which will award a $500 gift card to a local restaurant of the winner’s choice. To participate, submit photos of your receipts to Info@GoRockford.com by Sunday, January 24. The more receipt images you submit, the better your chances are of winning. The contest winner will be announced the week of January 25-29 on GoRockford social channels.
  • Be a RockFoodian! Purchase the limited-edition To-Go Rockford Restaurant Week “RockFoodian” T-shirt for only $25, and wear it with community pride and for a great cause! Order your shirt here and $10 per T-shirt sale will be donated to the Winnebago County Restaurant Workers’ Relief Fund created by YWCA Northwestern Illinois. Special thanks to Rockford Art Deli for this creative partnership!
  • Order to-go for the family and plan a drive-in experience at one of the local recreational parks or paths in the Rockford region.
  • Take a Community Lunch Break with family, friends or colleagues virtually from your home, the office or your home office.
  • Delivery Date Night: Recreate that special date night with your favorite dine-out experience right inside your home—and let your favorite culinary delivery service bring the food and beverages!
  • Pay-it-forward and surprise someone with a special delivery from your favorite local restaurant.

"At Lucha Cantina and Ranchero Pizza we love bringing people together whether it be our table or yours. Long before the pandemic affected us locally, we took pride in our to-go program by paying close attention to everything from the quality of our packaging to the ease of ordering through our online portals,” said Joshua Binning, owner of Lucha Cantina and Ranchero Pizza. “For the last several months we have fine-tuned our to-go program to what we now consider one of the best curbside operations around.”

Visit www.GoRockford.com/RestaurantWeek for a complete list of this year’s specials and Restaurant Week updates, which will include additional program features alongside media partner WREX Channel 13. In addition to local restaurants, other area attractions, businesses and organizations are welcome to participate by offering deals and specials in conjunction with restaurant-specific promotions. RACVB would also like to extend a special thanks to the City of Rockford for its partnership and commitment to help the food and beverage industry, which has seen 110,000 restaurants close nationally amidst the pandemic (Source: National Restaurant Association).

“The new To-Go themed Restaurant Week is a great fun way to support local food and beverage establishments,” said Mayor Tom McNamara. “The City of Rockford is doing everything it can to help these businesses that have been exceptionally adaptive this past year keeping compliant with state mitigations and regulations. We are proud to partner with the RACVB on this promotion in gratitude to all who are working hard each day. I thank everyone for an outstanding job during these challenging times.”

Participating businesses have taken or are encouraged to take the Clean Hands, Open Doors Pledge (www.RockfordCleanHands.com), which signifies the local business community’s continued commitment to responsible operating procedures amidst the pandemic. Moreover, RACVB will continue to work with health department and community officials to closely monitor the fluid nature of food and beverage industry mitigations, and additional promotional offers may be accepted as pandemic restrictions change.

 

About RACVB: RACVB is responsible for promoting the Rockford region as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to live and work. Through the impact of travel, RACVB strengthens the economic position of the region and provides opportunities for people in our communities. www.gorockford.com

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Andrea Cook, RACVB senior manager of marketing & communications, 815.489.1664, acook@gorockford.com or Nick Povalitis, RACVB vice president of marketing & sports development, 815.489.1652, npovalitis@gorockford.com